ENJOIN SANCTUARY ORDINANCES (NEW).

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View NCGA Bill Details2019-2020 Session
House Bill 135 (Public) Filed Wednesday, February 20, 2019
AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE INJUNCTIVE RELIEF AGAINST CITIES AND COUNTIES THAT ADOPT SANCTUARY POLICIES, ORDINANCES, OR PROCEDURES IN VIOLATION OF STATE LAW.
Intro. by Cleveland, Presnell, Speciale, Brody.

Status: Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate (Senate action) (Jun 26 2019)

SOG comments (3):

Identical bill

Identical to S 341, filed 3/21/19.

Long title change

House committee substitute to the 1st edition changed the long title. Original long title was AN ACT TO REPEAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY TO USE PROHIBITED FORMS OF IDENTIFICATION UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, TO CREATE ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO COMPLY WITH STATE LAWS RELATED TO IMMIGRATION, TO CREATE A PRIVATE CAUSE OF ACTION TO REMEDY LOCAL GOVERNMENT NONCOMPLIANCE WITH STATE IMMIGRATION LAWS, TO PROHIBIT UNC CONSTITUENT INSTITUTIONS FROM BECOMING SANCTUARY UNIVERSITIES, AND TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.

Long title change

The House committee substitute to the 3rd edition changes the act't titles. The previous long title was: AN ACT TO CREATE ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO COMPLY WITH STATE LAWS RELATED TO IMMIGRATION, TO CREATE A PRIVATE CAUSE OF ACTION TO REMEDY LOCAL GOVERNMENT NONCOMPLIANCE WITH STATE IMMIGRATION LAWS, TO PROHIBIT UNC CONSTITUENT INSTITUTIONS FROM BECOMING SANCTUARY UNIVERSITIES, AND TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.

Bill History:

H 135

Bill Summaries:

  • Summary date: Jun 26 2019 - View Summary

    House committee substitute to the 3rd edition makes the following changes. Deletes the content of the previous edition and replaces it with the following. 

    Amends GS 153A-145.5 to declare null and void any county policy, ordinance, or procedure that limits or restricts the enforcement of federal immigration laws to less than the full extent permitted by federal law (previously prohibited a county from having in effect any such policy, ordinance, or procedure). Adds that any person may bring action seeking an injunction. 

    Amends GS 160A-205.2 to declare null and void any city policy, ordinance, or procedure that limits or restricts the enforcement of federal immigration laws to less than the full extent permitted by federal law (previously prohibited a city from having in effect any such policy, ordinance, or procedure). Gives the General Court of Justice jurisdiction to enter mandatory or prohibitory injunctions to enjoin violations of the statute. Adds that any person may bring an action seeking an injunction. Provides that the plaintiff does not need to allege or prove special damage different from that suffered by the public at large; it is also not a defense that there is an adequate remedy at law. Sets out additional requirements of the injunction. Requires that these actions be set down for immediate hearing with subsequent proceedings in those actions given priority by the trial and appellate courts. Allows recovery of reasonable attorneys' fees in any action in which a party successfully obtains injunctive relief. Prohibits assessing attorneys' fees against the governmental body or governmental unit if the court finds that the body or unit acted in reasonable reliance on (1) a judgment or order of a court applicable to the governmental unit or governmental body or (2) the published opinion of an appellate court, an order of the North Carolina Business Court, or a final order of the Trial Division of the General Court of Justice. Requires the court to assess reasonable attorneys' fees against the person instituting the action when an action is filed in bad faith or was frivolous.

    Appropriates the following nonrecurring funds for 2019-2020 from the unappropriated fund balance: (1) $10,000 to the North Carolina Department of Labor to provide public education as to this act and (2) $5,000 to the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management to provide grants to the North Carolina League of Municipalities in the amount of $3,000 and to the North Carolina County Commissioners Association in the amount of $2,000 to provide education for local governments as to this act. 

    Makes conforming changes to the act's titles. 


  • Summary date: May 6 2019 - View Summary

    House committee substitute makes the following changes to the 2nd edition.

    Part IV.

    Amends proposed GS 153A-145.5 and GS 160A-205.2 by specifying that a county, or city, respectively, in violation of the statute has waived its governmental immunity in the specific action brought against it. Makes other clarifying changes.

    Amends GS 153A-435.1 and GS 160A-485.1 by providing that a county, or city, respectively, has waived its immunity from civil liability in tort if the county is in violation of GS 153A-145.5 (was, if the county does not comply with GS 153A-145.5) and an unauthorized alien commits a crime within the county's corporate limits. 

    Makes Section 4 of the act effective July 1, 2019, instead of when the act becomes law.


  • Summary date: May 2 2019 - View Summary

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

    Part I

    Adds to GS 64-6, as recodified by the act, to authorize a law enforcement officer or agent to use any documentation an individual presents as proof of identity or residency and to take a photo of the individual if the individual cannot produce allowable documentation of identity and residency. Details parameters of the photo, including that it be only taken from the neck up, retained until the final case disposition, used only to confirm the person's identity, and destroyed upon the final disposition of the matter.

    Part II

    Modifies proposed GS 64-51, which requires the Attorney General (AG) to create a form upon which individuals can allege that a local government or law enforcement agency is currently not in compliance with a State law related to immigration. Establishes that the form must clearly state that completed forms must be sent to the AG in order to be filed (previously did not specify sending the forms was a qualification for filing). Regarding filing good faith complaints and allegations, refers to a municipality rather than a city believed to not be in compliance with state immigration law.

    Regarding the parameters of the AG's investigation into filed statements under proposed GS 64-53, requires the AG to issue a written determination on whether the municipality, county, or law enforcement agency is in compliance with a state immigration law and mail a copy of the written determination to the municipality, county, or law enforcement agency being investigated (previously only required that the AG make a determination). Maintains the previously provided timelines of the investigation. Requires law enforcement agencies under investigation to produce related records or documents within 10 business days of request of the AG (previously limited to local governments under investigation). Makes conforming changes. Provides that local governments or law enforcement agencies under investigation under the statute can authorize in writing that the statements, reports, documents, and records related to an investigation under the statute be made public (previously allowed written requests for documents to be made public).

    Modifies proposed GS 64-54 to require any appeal of an AG's determination that a local government is not in compliance with state immigration law be final before the provided consequences of noncompliance apply. Makes clarifying changes regarding consequences of municipality or county noncompliance with state e-verify regulations of GS 143-133.3.

    Modifies proposed GS 64-55 regarding the AG's database and reporting requirements, to limit the provisions to affected local governments and no longer include law enforcement agencies. Makes clarifying and technical changes.

    Makes organizational changes to the appeals provisions of proposed GS 64-56. Modifies the AG's determination notice requirements to conform to the written determination notice requirements set out in proposed GS 64-53, as amended, now referencing that statute. Modifies the appeals provisions to provide for affected local governments to appeal the AG's determination of noncompliance by filing a contested case under the administrative  provisions of GS Chapter 150B (previously provided for final determinations made either administratively or judicially under GS Chapter 150B). 

    Modifies the private enforcement provisions of proposed GS 64-59 to refer to a municipality rather than a city throughout. Deletes the definition set forth for local law enforcement agency.

    Modifies proposed GS 64-33.1(b) regarding consequences for violations of GS 143-133.3, to refer to a municipality or county's violation rather than violations of state political subdivisions. 

    Makes organizational changes to the act. Changes the act's long title.


  • Summary date: Feb 20 2019 - View Summary

    Part I

    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.

    Effective July 1, 2019.

    Part II

    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 governmentlaw 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.

    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 is not in compliance with State law related to immigration. Consequences include ineligibility for specified state distributions for a year (which can be extended upon continued non-compliance) 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, the Office of State Budget and Management, and the Secretary of Revenue. 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. 

    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. 

    Sets out the procedure for appealing a determination made by the AG. 

    Allows the AG to designate a person to carry out the AG's duties under this Article. Requires the AG to adopt rules necessary to implement the Article.

    Allows a person residing in a city, county, or law enforcement agency that the person believes is not complying with a State law related to immigration to bring an action for declaratory and injunctive relief and sets out the procedure for doing so. Requires the court to impose a civil penalty against any city, county, or law enforcement agency that fails to comply with an order issued as a result of such an action of up to $10,000 per day for each day of noncompliance. 

    Amends GS 64-33.1 by adding provisions specifying actions to be taken when a local entity or local school administrative unit violates GS 143-133.3, which sets our requirements for E-verify compliance. 

    Requires the AG's office to take steps to notify local governments of the act's provisions.

    Makes conforming change to GS 136-41.1, GS 105-113.82, GS 105-164.44F, GS 105-164.44I, GS 105-164.44L, and GS 105-187.19.

    Enacts new GS 115C-52 requiring the Commissioner of Labor to include notice to the Superintendent of Public Instruction when notifying a local board of education that a local board of education is not in compliance with GS 143-133.3 (concerning E-verify compliance). Prohibits allocating state funds to pay the local superintendent's salary for one 12-month period (to be extended upon continued noncompliance). Requires notification to six listed entities of the determination that the local board of education is not in compliance with GS 143-133.3 and of the period of ineligibility for state funds to be used for the salary of the local school superintendent.

    Effective July 1, 2019.

    Part III

    Amends GS 153A-145.5 (prohibiting counties from adopting sanctuary ordinances) and GS 160A-205.2 (prohibiting cities from adopting sanctuary ordinances) to establish a private cause of action for declaratory and injunctive relief for any person who resides within the jurisdiction of a county or city, respectively, that the person believes is not in compliance with the statute. Requires the court to award the prevailing party reasonable attorneys' fees and court costs. Additionally imposes a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per day against any county or city that fails to comply with an order issued as a result of an action pursuant to the statute. 

    Effective July 1, 2019.

    Part IV

    Further amends GS 153A-145.5 and GS 160A-205.2 by adding that a county or city, respectively, that is in violation of the statute has waived its governmental immunity.

    Enacts new GS 153A-435.1 (applicable to counties) and GS 160A-485.1 (applicable to cities) specifying that the county or city has waived its civil liability immunity if it does not comply with the applicable statute prohibiting sanctuary ordinances and an unauthorized alien commits a crime within the county or city. The immunity is waived whether or not the county or city has purchased insurance.

    Part V

    Enacts new GS 116-40.13 prohibiting constituent institutions from having policies or procedures that limit or restrict the enforcement of federal immigration law. Prohibits constituent institutions from doing the following related to citizenship or immigration status: (1) prohibit law enforcement officials or agencies from gathering such information, (2) direct law enforcement officials or agencies not to gather such information, or (3) prohibit the communication of such information to federal law enforcement agencies. Sets out the procedure for investigating reported violations. Upon determining that there has been a violation, requires the Board of Governors to immediately revoke the constituent institution's status as a special responsibility constituent institution for the fiscal year, which may be extended upon continued noncompliance.

    Part VI

    Requires the Secretary of the Department of Public Safety to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to allow designated State law enforcement officers to perform immigration law enforcement functions. Specifies training those officers are to receive and provides that they will be under the supervision of ICE officers when performing under the MOA.