§ 135-91.  Administration.

(a) The provisions of this Article shall be administered by the Department of State Treasurer and the Supplemental Retirement Board of Trustees established in G.S. 135-96. The Department of State Treasurer and the Board of Trustees shall create a Supplemental Retirement Income Plan as of January 1, 1985, to be administered under the provisions of this Article.

(b) The Supplemental Retirement Income Plan shall have the power and privileges of a corporation and shall be known as the "Supplemental Retirement Income Plan of North Carolina" and by this name all of its business shall be transacted.

(c) The Department of State Treasurer and the Board of Trustees shall have full power and authority to adopt rules and regulations for the administration of the Plan, provided they are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Article.

(c1) Subject to the limitations specified in this subsection, the Department of State Treasurer and the Board of Trustees may adopt a new or amended rule to impose or change administrative fees under the Plan, provided that the rule is adopted at a public meeting that complies with Article 33C of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes. At least 30 days prior to such public meeting, the Department of State Treasurer shall post a copy of a draft of the rule on the Department of State Treasurer's public website and, subject to the approval of the Department of State Treasurer, send copies of the draft rule to persons requesting a copy. During the 30-day period preceding the public meeting at which the rule is to be adopted, the Department of State Treasurer and the Board of Trustees shall accept comments on the draft rule. Following the adoption or amendment of a rule concerning the imposition of, or a change to, an administrative fee, the Department of State Treasurer shall post the adopted rule to its public website and, subject to the approval of the Department of State Treasurer, provide a link or a copy of the adopted rule to persons requesting a copy. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection shall remain in effect until amended or repealed by the Department of State Treasurer and the Board of Trustees and are not subject to Article 2A of Chapter 150B of the General Statutes. This subsection applies only to rules regarding administrative fees charged by the Department of State Treasurer and the Board of Trustees for the Supplemental Retirement Plan of North Carolina, the North Carolina Deferred Compensation Plan, and the North Carolina Public School Teachers' and Professional Educators' Investment Plan. The Department of State Treasurer and the Board of Trustees may not adopt a new or amended rule to impose or change an administrative fee under the Plan that exceeds the following amounts:

(1) Twenty-five thousandths percent (0.025%) of assets for the Supplemental Retirement Income Plan of North Carolina.

(2) Twenty-five thousandths percent (0.025%) of assets for the North Carolina Deferred Compensation Plan.

(3) Five hundredths percent (0.05%) of assets for the North Carolina Public School Teachers' and Professional Educators' Investment Plan.

(c2) The Department of State Treasurer and Board of Trustees may appoint those agents, contractors, employees and committees as they deem advisable to carry out the terms and conditions of the Plan. In order to promote achievement of long-term investment objectives and to retain key public employees with investment functions, the Board of Trustees shall authorize the State Treasurer to establish market-oriented compensation plans, including salaries and performance-related bonuses, for employees possessing specialized skills or knowledge necessary for the proper administration of the Plan, who shall be exempt from the classification and compensation rules established by the Office of State Human Resources. The design and administration of those compensation plans shall be based on compensation studies conducted by a nationally recognized firm specializing in public fund investment compensation. The compensation and other associated employee benefits shall be apportioned directly from the Plan.

(d) The Department of State Treasurer and the Board of Trustees shall be charged with a fiduciary responsibility for managing all aspects of the Plan, including the receipt, maintenance, investment, and disposition of all Plan assets.

(e) The administrative costs of the Plan may be charged to members or deducted from members' accounts in accordance with nondiscriminatory procedures established by the Department of State Treasurer and Board of Trustees.

(f) Each institution of The University of North Carolina shall report the data and other information to the Supplemental Retirement Income Plan pertaining to participants in the Optional Retirement Program as shall be required by the Department of State Treasurer and the Board of Trustees.

(g) Each political subdivision of the State that sponsors a retirement or pension plan with members who are members of the Supplemental Retirement Income Plan shall report the data and other information to the Plan pertaining to members of the retirement or pension plan as shall be required by the Department of State Treasurer and the Board of Trustees. (1983 (Reg. Sess., 1984), c. 975; 1985, c. 403, s. 1; 1989 (Reg. Sess., 1990), c. 948, s. 2; 2008-132, s. 1; 2015-164, s. 9(a); 2021-75, s. 5.1(a).)