Bill Summary for H 967 (2019-2020)

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Summary date: 

Oct 23 2019

Bill Information:

View NCGA Bill Details2019-2020 Session
House Bill 967 (Public) Filed Thursday, April 25, 2019
AN ACT TO TRANSFER FUNDS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO REIMBURSE FUNDS SPENT FOR MAP ACT CLAIMS; TO MAKE SAVINGS RESERVE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR NATIONALLY DECLARED DISASTERS; AND TO LEND FUNDS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FROM THE SAVINGS RESERVE TO AVOID PROJECT AND CONTRACTING DELAYS.
Intro. by Torbett.

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Bill summary

House committee substitute to the 1st edition makes the following changes. Deletes the content of the previous edition and replaces it with the following.

Requires the State Controller to transfer $360,200,000 in nonrecurring funds for 2019-20 from the General Fund to the Department of Transportation (DOT) to reimburse DOT for funds expended to resolve claims and causes of action arising from transportation corridor official maps recorded by DOT under Article 2E of GS Chapter 136 (the Transportation Corridor Official Map Act). Requires DOT to use these funds to restart or continue preliminary engineering for projects that were temporarily suspended as of August 30, 2019, and listed in the "Preliminary Engineering Project Suspension List" on that same date. Allows remaining funds not used for preliminary engineering as of June 30, 2020, to be used to further meet DOT's cash flow needs. States the NCGA's intent. Requires DOT to report quarterly, beginning March 2020, until the funds are depleted, on DOT's use of the transferred funds. Requires the report to be submitted to the chairs of the specified NCGA committees and division. 

Amends GS 143C-4-2 by adding that in each fiscal year, funds reserved to the Savings Reserve are available to DOT for providing relief and assistance from the effects of a nationally declared disaster upon appropriation by the NCGA. Caps the total amount available to DOT for any one nationally declared disaster at $300 million. 

Requires the State Controller to transfer $301 million for 2019-20 from the Savings Reserve as a loan to the General Maintenance Reserve within the Highway Fund. Requires the funds to be used to avoid delays in highway project management and delivery, and letting of contracts that were suspended or delayed due to expenditures for disaster relief. Requires DOT to ensure that these funds are expended in a way that does not adversely affect DOT's eligibility for federal funds. Requires DOT to transfer to the Office of the State Controller funds to repay these appropriated funds in three equal payments, due June 30 in 2021, 2023, and 2025. Requires the repaid funds to be transferred to the Savings Reserve. Funds that remain unspent or unencumbered as of June 30, 2021, revert to the Savings Reserve. Requires DOT to report by July 15, 2021, on its use of these funds to the chairs of the specified NCGA committees and division. 

Requires DOT, beginning July 1, 2021, to transfer to the Office of the State Controller any funds received as a federal reimbursement for costs related to disaster relief to fulfill its repayment obligation to the Savings Reserve. 

Makes conforming changes to the act's titles.