Amends GS 126-23 regarding required State personnel recordkeeping by each department, agency, institution, commission and bureau of the State, to require records to show the date and general description of the reasons for each promotion, demotion, dismissal, transfer, suspension, or separation (dismissals, suspensions, and demotions were previously separated and required stated disciplinary reasoning). No longer requires keeping records for suspension or demotion for disciplinary reasons of a copy of the written notice of the final decision of the head of the department setting forth the specific acts or omissions that are the basis of the dismissal. Adds that nothing in the statute authorizes the disclosure of any confidential information protected by HIPAA, the Americans with Disabilities Act, or other applicable law. Requires that for the general descriptions of the reason for each promotion, demotion, dismissal, transfer, suspension, or separation: (1) no general description can disclose information otherwise prohibited from disclosure by an applicable law; and (2) the general description must become part of the record upon the later of the expiration of the time period to file an appeal or a final decision being entered in that administrative appeals process. Amends GS 126-22 by amending the term employee to mean any current State employee, former State employee, or application for State employment subject to Article 7, The Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records. Amends the term employer, defined as any State department, university, divisions, bureau, commission, council or other agency subject to Article 7, by specifying that university includes the Board, the Board of Trustees, Chancellor, constituent institutions, and the President.

Makes identical changes to the personnel recordkeeping requirements by local boards of education, community colleges: GS 115C-320 and GS 115D-28. 

Makes identical changes to that information that is considered public record for LME/MCOs, local governments, and water and sewer authorities, pursuant to the following governing statutes: GS 122C-158; GS 153A-98; GS 160A-168; and GS 162A-6.1. Further amends GS 122C-158 to make a public record the station to which an LME/MCO employee is currently assigned. Further amends GS 153A-98 to also make the statute applicable to employees subject to GS 153A-103 (number of employees in offices of sheriff and register of deeds); makes a conforming clarifying change to GS 153A-99. Amends GS 130A-45.9 by making those same changes to the public health authority employee information that is public record and also (1) requires the type of promotion, demotion, transfer, suspension, separation, or other change in position classification to be public record; (2) includes as public record the office or station to which the employee is currently assigned; and (3) makes organizational changes. Amends GS 131E-257.2 by making those same changes to the public hospital employee information that is public record and also requires the type of the promotion, demotion, transfer, suspension, separation, or other change in position classification to be public record. 

Requires, by November 30, 2023, each employer affected by this act to adopt personnel policies to effectuate the act to allow its employees to challenge the wording of the general description of any promotion, demotion, transfer, suspension, separation, or dismissal occurring on or after December 1, 2023. This provision is effective when the act becomes law.

Effective December 1, 2023, and applies to promotions, demotions, transfers, suspensions, separations, and dismissals occurring on or after that date.