A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to establish an annual implicit bias training requirement for state officials and employees.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 120‑32 reads as rewritten:
"§ 120‑32.  Commission duties.
(a)	The Legislative Services Commission is authorized to:
…
(b)	The Legislative Services Commission shall implement an annual training program on implicit bias for legislators and legislative employees to help them recognize implicit bias, understand the root of implicit biases, and become skilled in ways to counter implicit bias that impacts interactions, activities, and decision making in the legislative workplace. The implicit bias training program shall include both in‑person training and remote on‑demand components to maximize availability and effectiveness. The annual implicit bias training shall be mandatory for all legislators and legislative employees."
SECTION 2.(a)  G.S. 126‑4 reads as rewritten:
"§ 126‑4.  Powers and duties of State Human Resources Commission.
Subject to the approval of the Governor, the State Human Resources Commission shall establish policies and rules governing each of the following:
…
(20)	Establishing an annual training program on implicit bias to be implemented by State agencies to help employees recognize implicit bias, understand the root of implicit biases, and become skilled in ways to counter implicit bias that impacts interactions, activities, and decision making in the State government workplace. The implicit bias training program shall include both in‑person training and remote on‑demand components to maximize its availability and effectiveness throughout State government. Annual implicit bias training shall be established as a mandatory requirement for all State employees.
…."
SECTION 2.(b)  G.S. 126‑5 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(c17)	The annual implicit bias training requirements adopted by the State Human Resources Commission pursuant to G.S. 126‑4(20) shall apply to all State employees, including employees of the judicial branch, the Council of State agencies, and The University of North Carolina."
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.