Bill Summaries: H 159 EDUCATION LAW CHANGES. (NEW)

Printer-friendly: Click to view
Tracking:
  • Summary date: Jul 26 2022 - View Summary

    AN ACT TO MAKE VARIOUS CHANGES TO EDUCATION LAWS. SL 2022-71. Enacted July 8, 2022. Effective July 8, 2022, except as otherwise provided.


  • Summary date: Jul 1 2022 - View Summary

    Conference committee substitute to the 8th edition makes the following changes. 

    Makes organizational changes.

    Part I.

    Adds the following provisions.

    Requires the North Carolina Child Care Commission (Commission) to adopt a rule to amend the Credential Rule, 10A NCAC 09 .0102(32), consistent with the following and to implement the Credential Rule as follows until the effective date of that revised rule. Specifies that the North Carolina Early Childhood Credential (NC ECC) means the State early childhood credential that is based on any of the following: (1) an NC ECC based upon  completion of required early childhood coursework taken at any State community college; (2) a currently active Child Development Associate Credential from the Council for Professional Recognition, a Certified Child Care Professional Credential from the  National  Early Childhood Program Accreditation, or a Montessori Credential from any of the the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education, American Montessori Society, National Center for Montessori Education, or Association Montessori Internationale; (3) a passing score on a test developed by the early childhood faculty of the NC Community College System designed to demonstrate an individual's mastery of the concepts taught in early childhood coursework taken at any State community college; or (4) other equivalencies as determined by the Division of Child Development and Early  Education, Department  of  Health  and  Human  Services (previously, allowed for an NC ECC based on completion of required early childhood coursework at any State community college; a Child Development Associate Credential from the Council for Professional Recognition; or a passing score on a test approved by the Commission to demonstrate mastery of early education concepts taught at any State community college). Deems other equivalencies earn the same education points in the Quality Rating Improvement System toward a Star Rating as the NC ECC.

    Prohibits the Division of Child Development and Early Education, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) from requiring an individual working towards an associate degree to complete a minimum number of semester hours per year in order to be eligible for employment as a teacher assistant in the NC Pre-K program. Sunsets this provision on December 31, 2023. 

    Directs the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to use funds received from the identified section of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act to add a minimum of 13 full-time employee positions to provide professional development and support to teachers in public schools who work with students with disabilities ages 3 through 5.

    Part II.

    Adds the following provisions.

    Amends GS 115C-218.45 regarding enrollment priority for charter school admissions to include grandchildren of the charter school's board of directors in addition to the children of board members, and adds grandchildren, in addition to children, of employees or those working full time in the daily operation of the school, capped at 15% of the school's total enrollment unless waived by the State Board of Education (State Board). Applies beginning with applications and enrollments for the 2022-23 school year.

    Enacts the following provisions to Article 29B, GS Chapter 115C, now titled Educational Opportunities for Military Children. Puts the existing provisions in Part 1 and adds Part 2 which provides as follows. Defines inactive members to include inactive members of the National Guard or Reserves of any branch of US uniformed services. Requires local education authorities to provide the same services to children of inactive members  when there is an intrastate transfer, as those provided to military children under the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, when the inactive member is required to move to perform military service-related responsibilities and provides a copy of the relevant military order. Excepts interstate transfers, for which the local authority is required to attempt coordination of services with local authorities outside of the State, but cannot require such authorities outside of the state to provide service to children of inactive members transferring to or from the State. Applicable beginning with the 2022-23 academic school year.

    Amends Section 3.5, SL 2021-25, as enacted in SL 2021-180, providing that of the funds appropriated to the Department of Public Instruction, of the $18 million of the funds allocated to provide coaching support and professional development for principals and school improvement leadership teams in local school administrative units, up to 25% (was up to $2 million) of the funds can be used for 28 (was, 20) time-limited or full-time equivalent positions for DPI to support the activities described. 

    Revises the proposed changes to GS 116-233, which increased membership of the Board of Trustees for the NC School of Science and Math from 30 to 31 members, to provide for 14 members appointed by the UNC Board of Governors from each of North Carolina's congressional districts, accounting for the State's additional congressional district following the decennial census. Eliminates these changes and instead requires Board membership to include the number of members equal to the membership of the US House of Representatives apportioned to the State by federal law, and eliminating the stated total membership required of the Board. Authorizes shorter initial terms for appointees of positions created by Congressional reapportionment in order to maintain staggered terms for appointments. Effective July 1, 2023. Provides for the person appointed to the position created to be appointed for a term ending June 30, 2027. 

    Makes technical changes to incorporate amendments made to Sections 8.3 and 8.19 of SL 2021-180 by Section 2.8, SL 2022-6.

    Part IV.

    Adds the following provisions. 

    Establishes mandatory reporting requirements for public school units, requiring all units to report information described to the Center for Safer Schools by November 15, 2022, including the unit's system to identify threats, the number and nature of any identified threats, and responses and results of such responses to identified threats. Requires the Center for Safer Schools to consult with DPI to report to the specified NCGA committee by February 15, 2023, on legislative recommendations on a system to identify and address threats in schools that could be implements by public school units statewide and any addition funding such system would require. Details information units and the Center are required to report. 

    Part V.

    Adds the following provisions. 

    Amends GS 115C-311 to extend the deadlines for the reports evaluating the advanced teaching roles and new compensation plans, now requiring reports by independent contractors during the first two years of the program by October 15, 2022, 2023, and 2024, with the State Board required to perform the evaluation and provide the reports beginning October 15, 2025, and annually thereafter (currently, provides for the independent reports to be made on October 15, 2021, and October 15, 2022, with the State Board to perform the evaluation and provide the report beginning October 15, 2023). Directs DPI to use $200,000 of the funds appropriated to the DPI by SL 2021-180 for each year of the biennium, in each fiscal year for the State Board to contract for the program evaluations as required by GS 115C-311. Effective June 30, 2022. 


  • Summary date: Jun 14 2022 - View Summary

    Senate amendment to the 7th edition makes the following changes. 

    Part VII.

    Makes a technical correction to the lead-in language of the proposed changes to GS 115D-11.10, regarding apprenticeships. Further amends the statute to define apprentice to mean a person of at least 16 years of age who is covered by a written apprenticeship agreement approved for the Apprenticeship Council by the Director (was, approved by the Council). 

    Makes a technical correction to the lead-in language of the proposed changes to GS 115D-11.11, relating to an apprenticeship agreement's content.


  • Summary date: Jun 8 2022 - View Summary

    Senate committee substitute replaces the content of the 6th edition with the following.

    Part I.

    Regarding the State Board of Education's duty to develop and implement a Uniform Education Reporting System under GS 115C-12(18), requires reporting requirements developed by the State Board as part of the System to be incorporated into the student information system (replacing reference to the PowerSchool application or any other component of the System) to minimize duplicative reporting by local school administrative units. 

    Part II.

    Amends GS 115C-105.52 to no longer require school crisis kits to include items recommended by the International Association of Chiefs of Police beyond the required basic first-aid supplies and communications devices. 

    Part III.

    Amends GS 115C-263 to require local boards of education to provide to the extent practicable school nutrition services (was, school food services) in the schools under their jurisdiction. Requires all school nutrition services be in accordance with the federal guidelines established by the Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (currently, requires services to be in accordance with the standards and regulations recommended by the Superintendent of Public Instruction and approved by the State Board of Education). Makes conforming changes to the statute and the title to Part 2, Article 17, GS Chapter 115C. 

    Amends GS 115C-264 as follows. Requires local boards of education, rather than public schools, operating school nutrition programs to participate in the federal National School Lunch Program. Places the program under the jurisdiction of the School Nutrition Division of the Department of Public Instruction  (DPI); (was, the Division of School Support, Child Nutrition Services of the Department of Public Instruction). Eliminates duplicative language now found in GS 115C-263, as amended, regarding compliance with federal guidelines. Requires any earnings over the cost of operation of school nutrition services to be used only to reduce the cost of food, serve more nutritious food (currently, serve better food), or provide free or reduced-price meals to economically disadvantaged children (was, to provide free or reduced-price lunches to indigent children). Changes the definition of personnel to include staff directly engaged in nutrition services record keeping. Makes conforming changes to terminology to refer to school nutrition programs, services, and personnel.

    Amends GS 115C-264.2, which permits schools to sell beverages to students in vending machines, subject to local board approval and satisfaction of five criteria. Now limits offering sugared carbonated soft drinks until 30 minutes after the end of the school day, removing the prohibition against offering sugared carbonated soft drinks in middle schools. Removes the limit of no more than 50% of the offerings being carbonated soft drinks in high school. Replaces the snack vending requirements to now provide the following. Requires snack vending to meet the standards for competitive foods and beverages established by the Food and Nutrition Service, and bars middle and high schools from having vending products with more than 200 calories per portion or snack vending package (previously, capped such products at 75% of the products). Reenacts the prohibition on snack vending in elementary schools. 

    Repeals GS 115C-264.3, which directs the State Board to establish statewide nutrition standards for school meals, a la carte foods and beverages, and items served in the After School Snack Program administered by the Department of Public Instruction and child nutrition programs of local school administrative units.

    Part IV.

    Amends Section 5, SL 2021-8, to require regional directors (was, regional case managers) or other appropriate staff to implement the literacy instruction standards developed to align with Part 1A of Article 8 of GS Chapter 115C (Read to Achieve).

    Part V.

    Amends Section 1, SL 2021-170, revising the requirement for the State Board to waive five specified school administrator license requirements for individuals who meet three criteria. Expands waiver eligibility, now requiring that the individual, prior to August 31, 2024 (was, August 31, 2022), complete at least one course as part of a master's degree program or a post-master's certificate designed for school administrators offered by an approved educator preparation program.

    Part VI.

    Amends GS 115D-31, eliminating the authority for the State Board of Community Colleges to authorize a local community college to use up to 20% of the State Literacy funds allocated to it to provide employability skills, job-specific occupational and technical skills, and developmental education instruction to students concurrently enrolled in an eligible community college literacy course.

    Part VII.

    Amends GS 115D-11.10, now requiring an apprenticeship agreement to provide for a term of apprenticeship measured by a time-based, competency-based, or hybrid approach as required by 29 CFR 29.5 (replacing the previous requirement for the agreement to provide for at least 2,000 hours of reasonably continuous employment). Makes adjustments to the required measures subject to 29 CFR 29.5. Makes conforming changes to GS 115D-11.11 relating to the agreement's content.

    Part VIII.

    Amends GS 115D-20(4)a., which allows local community colleges to collaborate with local school administrative units to offer courses through cooperative innovative high school programs; academic transition pathways for described students that lead to certain technical education certificates, credentials, or diplomas; and college transfer pathways for described students that require completion of 30 semester credit hours of transfer courses. Expands authority for the collaboration as follows. Now allows for local community colleges to collaborate with public school units and nonpublic schools to offer courses through the college transfer pathways program and the college transfer pathways program. Makes conforming organizational changes. 

    Part IX.

    Revises Article 5C, GS Chapter 116, to rename the NC Principal Fellows and Transforming Principal Preparation Program as the NC Principal Fellows Program. Makes conforming changes throughout.

    Amends GS 116-74.41 to allow a designee of the chair of the Board of the State Education Assistance Authority to serve on the NC Principal Fellows Commission. Makes a technical change. 

    Similarly, amends GS 116-209.61 to allow a designee of the chair of the Board of the State Education Assistance Authority to serve on the NC Teaching Fellows Commission. 

    Part X.

    Increases membership of the Board of Trustees for the NC School of Science and Math set forth in GS 116-233, from 30 to 31 members, to provide for 14 members appointed by the UNC Board of Governors from each of North Carolina's congressional districts, accounting for the State's additional congressional district following the decennial census. Effective July 1, 2023. Provides for the person appointed to the position created to be appointed for a term ending June 30, 2027. 

    Part XI.

    Revises the definition of eligible disabled veteran under the Patriot Star Family Scholarship Program, established by Section 8.3, SL 2021-180, and the NC Patriot Star Family Recovery Scholarship Program under Section 8.19, SL 2021-180, as the definition was amended by Section 2.8, SL 2022-6. Replaces the criteria that the person be a parent of an eligible child, as that term is defined, to instead require that the person (1) be a veteran who incurred traumatic injuries or wounds or sustained a major illness while a member of the Armed Forces during a period of war, national emergency, or training in preparation for future conflicts, and the injuries, wounds, or illness are a direct result of service in the line of duty and (2) be receiving at least 50% compensation for a disability connected to the injuries, wounds, or illness. Applies to applications for scholarship awards submitted on or after July 1, 2021. 


  • Summary date: Jun 30 2021 - View Summary

    Senate committee substitute makes the following changes to the 5th edition.

    Part III.

    Deletes the proposed changes to GS 115C-450 regarding school food services. Instead, directs the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to require all local school nutrition programs to submit 11 categories of specified information in relation to the 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21 school years, by September 15, 2021. Directs DPI to compile the information submitted and provide the responses to the specified NCGA committee by December 15, 2021.

    Part IV.

    Further revises GS 115C-218.1(c) to now require the State Board of Education (State Board) to charge a $1,000 initial and renewal charter application fee (previously, required the State Board to establish a $1,000 fee, in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act). 


  • Summary date: Jun 16 2021 - View Summary

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

    Part I.

    Deletes part of the proposed changes to GS 115C-302.1(b), which eliminated the deadline for a teacher to request 12 salary installment payments and eliminated the prohibition from teachers employed less than 10 months from receiving their salaries in 12 installments. Maintains the new requirement for local administrative units to fulfill the requirement for installment payments through a payroll deduction plan. 

    Adds to the proposed changes to GS 115C-316(a)(2), regarding payment of school employees, to similarly direct local administrative units to fulfill the requirements for installment payments for eligible employees who so request through a payroll deduction plan. Makes further clarifying and technical changes.

    Part II.

    Amends the proposed changes to Section 2.3 of SL 2020-80 to further extend the due date of the State Board of Education's (SBE) report to the specified NCGA committee on unpaid meal charges in local school administrative units from October 15, 2022, to October 15, 2023. Eliminates the proposed changes that would have allowed, beginning June 30, 2021, the funds transferred from the School Bus Replacement Fund to the State Public School Fund to provide free school lunches to students of all grade levels qualifying for reduced-price meals to be used in 2021-22 in addition to 2020-21. 

    Part III.

    Revises the proposed changes to GS 115C-450 regarding school food services. Now prohibits public school units that provide school nutrition services from assessing indirect costs to a school nutrition program unless the program has an operating balance of at least two months (was, at least three months).

    Part IV.

    Eliminates the previous content of Part IV., which made, for the 2020-21 school year, any student in the 12th grade who has not completed instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation eligible to graduate if two criteria are met; Part V., which amended GS 115C-105.57 to require that public school units report to the Center for Safer Schools (Center) annually regarding school resource officers as part of the Center's annual census of school resource officers, and required the Center to compile the information submitted by the public school units and report that information at the statewide and local levels to the already specified entities; Part VII., which amended GS 115C-270.20 to require that a professional educator who meets the requirement of the statute for a lifetime license as a professional educator be issued a lifetime license; and Part VIII., which made various amendments to Article 6C (concerning the Education and Workforce Innovation Program) of GS Chapter 115C. Makes conforming organizational changes to renumber the remaining parts and sections of the act.

    Part XI.

    Changes the deadline by which the Department of Public Instruction must administer the proposed bonus payment to teachers employed as of April 1, 2021, in a school for students with visual and hearing impairments from April 30, 2021, to 30 days after the date the act becomes law. 


  • Summary date: Apr 1 2021 - View Summary

    House amendment to the 3rd edition makes the following changes.

    Reinstates the provisions of previous Part I., as proposed in the 1st and 2nd editions and eliminated from the 3rd edition, which provide for a one time $350 bonus for teachers employed in a school for students with visual and hearing impairments, with the following changes. No longer appropriates funds for the bonuses; instead requires the Department of Public Instruction to administer the bonuses within available funds. Organizes the provisions as Part X. Makes conforming organizational changes. 


  • Summary date: Mar 31 2021 - View Summary

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

    Eliminates the provisions of previous Part I., which provided for a one time $350 bonus for teachers employed in a school for students with visual and hearing impairments. Eliminates accompanying appropriations. Makes conforming organizational changes

    Further amends GS 115C-302.1 (previously in Part II., now organized as Part I.) to authorize local school administrative units to fulfill the teacher salary installment requirements through a payroll deduction plan.

    Amends the act's long title. 


  • Summary date: Mar 9 2021 - View Summary

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

    Part I.

    Specifies that the funds for the $350 bonus paid to teachers in a school for students with visual and hearing impairments do not supplant any existing compensation funds (was, local funds). 

    Further amends GS 115C-316(a)(2) to expand the provisions to permit salary payments in 12 installments for employees employed for 11 calendar months. Makes conforming changes.

    Part IV.

    Adds a new subsection to GS 115C-450 to prohibit a public school unit that provides school nutrition services from assessing indirect costs that are more than 8% of a school nutrition program's annual budget per fiscal year. 

    Part VIII.

    Amends GS 115C-270.20 by deleting the changes that require that a professional educator who meets the requirement of the statute for a lifetime license as a professional educator be issued a lifetime license. Instead, amends the statute as follows. Deletes (a)(4), which sets out the requirements for a lifetime license (which specified that a teacher is determined to have completed the required 30 or more years of teaching when the teacher holds a current NC teaching license and has completed 30 or more years of creditable service with the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System). Enacts (d), which requires the State Board of Education to issue a lifetime license to an individual currently licensed as a professional educator who has met at least one of the following: (1) completed 30 or more years of creditable service with the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System or (2) completed a combined total of 30 or more years of employment as a licensed teacher, administrator, or student services personnel in one or more public school units in this state.

    Part IX.

    Amends the proposed changes to Article 6C, GS Chapter 115C, to include charter school students in the Education and Workforce Innovation and Career and Technical Education (CTE) Grade Expansion Program. Specifies that local administrative school units can use program grants for CTE programs at one or more schools in the unit. 

    Part X.

    Adds the following. Amends GS 115C-12 to require the State Board of Education (Board) to adopt any rules, regulation, policies, standards, or statements of general applicability in accordance with GS Chapter 150B (Administrative Procedure Act); specifies that such provisions are only valid if they are adopted in substantial compliance with GS Chapter 150B.

    Specifies that the current standards that make up the standard course of study, which are subject to rule making, are deemed permanent rules so long as: (1) the standards were adopted by the Board before January 1, 2021, and (2) the Board submits the standards to the Codifier of Rules in the specified format no later than 60 days after this section becomes effective. Provides that the permanent rules will be effective on the date that they are submitted to the Codifier. Makes any standards that do not meet these criteria subject to GS Chapter 150B. Requires the standard course of study to continue to be revised on the timeline provided in the comprehensive plan developed by the Board and in accordance with the rulemaking process in GS Chapter 150B. Requires the Codifier to publish notice of the permanent rules online when the Codifier enters the permanent rules into the NC Administrative Code.

    Amends SL 2019-82 to make the requirements of SL 115C-81.45(d) (which required the Board to require high school instruction in civic and citizenship education through a full-credit course called Founding Principles of the United States of America and North Carolina: Civic Literacy and that encouraged inclusion of the specified components) applicable to students entering the 9th grade in the 2022-23 school year (was, the 2021-22 school year).

    Amends the act's long title.


  • Summary date: Feb 25 2021 - View Summary

    Part I.

    Requires the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to pay a one-time lump sum bonus of $350 by April 30, 2021, to every teacher who, as of April 1, 2021, is employed as a teacher in a school for students with visual and hearing impairments. Specifies the intent that these bonuses complement the bonuses provided to other teachers in Section 2 of SL 2020-45. Defines teacher as teachers and instructional support personnel. Excludes the bonuses from compensation under Article 1 (Retirement System for Teachers and State Employees) of GS Chapter 135. Excludes from the bonus any teacher no longer employed as a teacher due to resignation, dismissal, reduction in force, death, or retirement or whose last workday is prior to April 1, 2021. Specifies that funds provided in this section supplement the compensation of a public school employee and not supplant local funds. Appropriates $55,000 for 2020-21 from the General Fund to DPI to provide the bonuses. 

    Part II.

    Amends GS 115C-302.1 to allow individual teachers who are not employed in a year-round school to be paid in 12 monthly installments when requested by the teacher (removes the requirement that the teacher make the request on or before the first day of the school year). Makes conforming changes to GS 115C-316. Removes the provision prohibiting teachers employed for less than 10 months from receiving their salary in 12 installments.

    Part III.

    Amends Section 2.3 of SL 2020-80 to extend the due date of the State Board of Education's (SBE) report to to the specified NCGA committee on unpaid meal charges in local school administrative units from October 15, 2021, to October 15, 2022. Effective June 30, 2021, allows the funds transferred from the School Bus Replacement Fund to the State Public School Fund to provide free school lunches to students of all grade levels qualifying for reduced-price meals to be used in 2021-22 in addition to 2020-21. Makes conforming changes. 

    Part IV.

    Amends GS 115C-450 as follows. Requires school nutrition services to be included in the budget of each public school unit providing school nutrition services (was, required school food services to be included in the budget of each local school administrative unit) and requires the SBE to provide for school nutrition services in the uniform budget format. Prohibits public school units that provide school nutrition services from assessing indirect costs to a school nutrition program unless the program has an operating balance of at least three months (was, local school administrative units were prohibited from assessing indirect costs to a child nutrition program unless the program has a minimum of one month's operating balance). Deletes the formula for calculating operating balance, and instead requires DPI to calculate the operating balance of a school nutrition program of a public school unit that provides school nutrition services. Amends the definition of indirect costs. Makes additional conforming and technical changes. Effective July 1, 2021.

    Part V. 

    Makes, for the 2020-21 school year, any student in the 12th grade who has not completed instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation eligible to graduate if: (1) instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation cannot be completed due to the COVID-19 emergency and (2) the student is eligible to graduate in all other respects, as determined by the principal of the school to which the student is assigned.

    Part VI. 

    Amends GS 115C-105.57 to require that public school units report to the Center for Safer Schools (Center) annually by January 15 on the specified information regarding school resource officers, as part of the Center's annual census of school resource officers. The information to be reported by schools is the same as that previously required to be included in the Center's annual report. Makes conforming changes. Requires the Center to compile the information submitted by the public school units and report that information at the statewide and local levels to the already specified entities.

    Part VII.

    Amends GS 115C-218.1 to set the fee for initial and renewal charter applications at $1,000 (was, a reasonable fee of no less than $500 and no more than $1,000).

    Part VIII.

    Amends GS 115C-270.20 to require that a professional educator who meets the requirement of the statute for a lifetime license as a professional educator be issued a lifetime license.

    Part IX.

    Amends Article 6C (concerning the Education and Workforce Innovation Program) of GS Chapter 115C as follows. Adds the CTE Grade Expansion Program to the scope of the Article. Makes changes throughout to combine the Education and Workforce Innovation Program and CTE Grade Expansion Program, now known as the Education and Workforce Innovation and CTE Grade Expansion Program (Program). Allows up to 10% of the funds appropriated for the Education and Workforce Innovation and CTE Grade Expansion Program to be used by DPI for technical and administrative assistance. No longer prohibits members of the North Carolina Education and Workforce Innovation Commission (Commission) from sending designees to meetings. Requires the Program to prioritize the inclusion of students in sixth and seventh grades through grant awards provided to selected local school administrative units. Requires Program funds to be used to award competitive grants depending on the State's needs, determined by the Commission, by dividing the grants between each type as innovation grants or as grants for grade expansion for career and technical education. Amends the innovation grant provisions to requires the grants to be used to advance comprehensive, high-quality education that equips teachers and other hired personnel (was, teachers) with knowledge and skill required to succeed with all students. Requires innovation grant recipients to provide a description of the funds that will be used and a proposed budget for each of the grant years (was, for five years). Amends GS 115C-64.17 by making conforming changes to make those provisions applicable to grants for career and technical education grade expansion. Makes additional conforming, technical, and clarifying changes.

    Requires that of the funds appropriated to DPI from the General Fund for 2021-22 for the North Carolina Education and Workforce Innovation Commission for the Education and Workforce Innovation Program and for the Career and Technical Education Grade Expansion Program, beginning in 2021-22, to instead  appropriate $3,171,118 in recurring funds to DPE for the Commission for the Program. 

    Effective July 1, 2021.