House committee substitute amends the 2nd edition as follows.

Modifies the proposed new provision in GS 128-24 regarding membership of the Local Governmental Employees' Retirement System (LGERS), now prohibiting a participating employer from imposing a waiting period on any employees who are otherwise eligible to become members of LGERS (was, a waiting period on employees certified by the NC Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission or the NC Sheriffs' Education and Training Standards Commission under GS Chapters 17C or 17E and who are otherwise eligible to become members of LGERS).

Adds the following new content.

Amends GS 58-87-1, concerning the Volunteer Fire Department Fund (Fund) as follows. Provides that the Fund is to provide grants (was, matching grants) to volunteer fire departments to purchase equipment and make capital improvements. Removes the existing matching requirements for applicants for grants from the Fund, and instead: (1) excludes from the matching requirements applicants receiving less than or equal to $50,000 per year from municipal and county funding; (2) requires applicants receiving more than $50,000 but less than or equal to $75,000 per year from municipal and county funding to match $1 for each $3 in grant funds; and (3) requires applicants receiving more than $75,000 per year from municipal and county funding to match the grant on a dollar-for-dollar basis. Amends the content of the report to the NCGA on the grants by specifying that it include cash receipts and cash disbursements through the previous grant cycle (was, through the grant cycle), and the Fund balance at the beginning and end of the previous grant cycle (was, at the end of grant cycle). Adds that any funding on deposit with the State Treasury for the purposes in the statute are appropriated up to the amount needed to reimburse volunteer fire departments for grants awarded during the most recent grant cycle. 

Changes the act's effective date from July 1, 2021, to October 1, 2021.

Makes conforming changes to the act's titles.