Bill Summaries: H100 (2015-2016 Session)

Tracking:
  • Summary date: Jun 21 2016 - View summary

    Senate committee substitute makes the following changes to the 4th edition.

    Changes the act's long and short titles.

    Moves all of the previous edition's provisions to Part I of the act. Changes the effective date of the previous provisions to January 1, 2017 (was, January 1, 2016).

    Adds the following.

    Part II

    Recodifies GS 15A-311 (Consulate documents not acceptable as identification) as GS 64-6. 

    Amends GS 64-6, as recodified above, deleting language in subsection (c) which previously allowed law enforcement officers to use identity documents issued or created by individuals, organizations, or local governments for the purpose of assisting in determining the identity of a person when no other such documents are available. Makes a technical change to the section's catchline.

    Part III

    Enacts new GS Chapter 64, Article 3, Local Government Noncompliance with State Laws Related to Immigration, setting out specific findings of the General Assembly, including that the policy objectives of the General Assembly are frustrated when cities, counties, and law enforcement agencies do not uniformly comply with State law and that supreme power and complete discretion over State funds appropriations can be used to create additional incentives for compliance. Sets out three definitions in use for the Article, including affected local government, law enforcement agency, and state law related to immigration--defined as GS 64-6(b) (prohibition on adopting policy or ordinance to accept excluded documents as valid id), GS 153A-145.5 (prohibition on adoption of sanctuary ordinances), or GS 160A-205.2 (prohibition on adoption of sanctuary ordinances).

    Directs the Attorney General (AG) to create a form upon which individuals can allege that a city, county, or law enforcement agency is currently not in compliance with a State law related to immigration. The form is to be made available on the AG's website and once completed the form should be sent to the AG. No Social Security number or notarization is required on the form. Anonymous statements submitted on a nonprescribed form are not prohibited from consideration, but all complaints or allegations must be made having a good faith belief.

    Requires the AG to begin an investigation into the allegations of noncompliance within 45 days of receipt of filed statement, with a final determination and conclusion of the investigation within 60 days of the investigation's commencement. The AG is authorized to ask for assistance from the State Bureau of Investigation in conducting the investigation. Further directs local governments to produce records or documents related to the investigation within 10 business days of request by the AG. Provides that statements, records, reports, and other investigative documents are confidential and not public records until the investigation is complete or 60 days have elapsed since the investigation was commenced. Authorizes local governments to request that confidential documents be made public. 

    Sets out consequences of a determination that a local government or law enforcement agency is not in compliance with State law related to immigration. Consequences include ineligibility for specified state distributions for a fiscal year and that the AG will notify the affected local governments, the chairs of the Appropriations Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives, the chairs of the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations, and the Office of State Budget and Management (OSBM). Directs the OSBM to notify the Departments of Public Instruction and Transportation and the State Controller of affected local governments' ineligibility to receive funds described in subdivision (1), and directs the Departments and the State Controller to ensure that the funds are instead distributed to to other local governments that are eligible for distributions pursuant to the relevant statute.

    Also includes provisions detailing consequences of the AG receiving notification of noncompliance with E-verify, which include all of the above consequences. Sets out specific entities that receive the consequences of noncompliance with E-Verify regulations. Provides that no enactment by the General Assembly is to be construed as an exception to the statute unless it specifically mentions the statute.

    Sets out procedures and administrative guidelines for the AG, including reporting requirements. Requires the AG to maintain a database of those entities ineligible for funds and to report to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations on a quarterly basis concerning the numbers of statements, investigations, consequences rendered, and the names of those entities found not to be in compliance.

    Provides for an appeal to the AG's determination under the Article to the extent and in the manner as required by the federal and State Constitutions. Provides that the imposition of consequences for noncompliance with State law related to immigration pursuant to GS 64-54 is stayed until the appeal under GS 64-56 is complete. Establishes that if an appeal under the statute is unsuccessful, the length of the period during which an affected local government is ineligible to receive funds described in GS 64-54(a)(1) is the same as it would have been had no appeal been made, regardless of which fiscal year(s) the resulting period of ineligibility occurs.

    Further states that the AG can designate an official to carry out the duties of this regulation, and that the AG must promulgate rules needed to implement this Article. Provides for a private enforcement action against entities that are not in compliance with State law concerning immigration, in the Superior Court of Wake County; an individual can seek relief in the form of declaratory and injunctive relief. Allows prevailing parties to receive attorneys' fees and court costs.

    Amends GS 64-33.1, concerning noncompliance with E-Verify requirements, adding a new subsection (b) that requires the Commissioner of Labor to immediately notify the AG if a political subdivision of the State has violated the E-Verify requirements. The Commissioner of Labor must also notify the AG within 60 days of the violation if the political subdivision has not yet demonstrated compliance with E-Verify. 

    Directs the AG's office, with the help of the Departments of Transportation and Public Instruction, to notify local governments of the provisions of this act so steps to be in compliance can be taken.

    Amends GS 115C-546.2 (public school capital building fund for counties) and GS 136-41.1 (State distributed funds for roads of cities/towns), adding language that prohibits counties or cities/towns from receiving their respective funds if they are ineligible due to noncompliance with state laws related to immigration. 

    Part IV

    Provides that the act is effective August 1, 2016, unless otherwise provided.


  • Summary date: Jun 4 2015 - View summary

    Senate committee substitute makes the following changes to the 3rd edition.

    Amends the long title.

    Amends proposed GS 9-6.2 concerning jury duty excusal records, making clarifying changes that provide that records retained by the clerk regarding jury duty excusal are not considered public records under GS 132-1 (previously provided that such records were not public record).  Provides that, for an individual excused from jury duty for reasons related to qualifications under GS 163-55, the record of his or her name, address, reason for excusal, and the date of excusal will be public record under GS 132-1 and will be sent by the clerk of superior court to the State Board of Elections for purposes listed in GS 163-82.14 (previously, required the clerk of superior court to provide the list of persons excused for any reason related to qualifications pursuant to GS 163-55 to the State Board of Elections for the purposes of GS 163-82.14). Makes organizational changes. 

    Directs the Administrative Office of the Courts to amend the Rules of Recordkeeping so that the provisions of proposed GS 9-6.2 can be implemented. 


  • Summary date: Apr 29 2015 - View summary

    House amendment makes the following changes to the 2nd edition.

    Amends GS 9-6.2 to add the requirement that the clerk of superior court give a copy of a list of persons excused from jury duty for any reason related to qualifications under GS 163-55 to the State Board of Elections for the purposes in GS 163-82.14 (concerning voter list maintenance).


  • Summary date: Apr 28 2015 - View summary

    House committee substitute makes the following changes to the 1st edition.

    Amends GS 9-6.2 to no longer make an exception to the public record requriement for medical information.

    Changes the act's effective date from July 1, 2015, to July 1, 2016.


  • Summary date: Feb 23 2015 - View summary

    Enacts new GS 9-6.2 as the title indicates. Requires that the names and addresses of persons excused from jury duty based on disqualification are to be maintained by the clerk of superior clerk for no less than two years as a public record as defined in GS 132-1. Provides that medical information submitted to show that a person is not physically or mentally competent for jury duty does not have to be maintained by the clerk and prohibits such medical information from being made public. Makes a conforming change to GS 9-6(e). Becomes effective July 1, 2015.