§ 147-54.7.  Abrogation of offensive geographical place-names.

(a) The General Assembly finds that certain geographical place-names are offensive or insulting to the State's people, history, and heritage. These place-names should be replaced by names that reflect the State's people, history, and heritage without resorting to offensive stereotypes, names, words, or phrases.

(b) The Secretary of State, in consultation with the North Carolina Geographic Information Coordinating Council, and pursuant to federal guidelines, shall adopt procedures to effect the change of geographical place-names that are offensive or insulting. The procedures shall include a notification to the governing body of the county where the offensive or insulting place-name is deemed to exist that the Council intends to make application to change the name. The county governing body shall have 90 days in which to respond to the Council, and no action to affect a change in the place-name shall be undertaken by the Council until it has reviewed the county's response, or the expiration of the 90-day period, whichever comes first.

(c) The procedures adopted by the Secretary pursuant to this section shall include the consideration of resolutions, if any, passed by the governing body of any county regarding the changing of a geographical place-name within the county. (2003-211, s. 1.)