Senate committee substitute makes the following changes to 1st edition. Adds a new section allowing an annexation ordinance adopted under Parts 2 or 3 of Article 4A of GS Chapter 160A that has an effective date of June 30, 2011, to become effective on that date if all of the following are met: (1) the ordinance was adopted before the act’s effective date, (2) the adoption of a resolution of consideration preceded the ordinance, (3) a legal challenge to the ordinance has not been filed, (4) the time for filing a legal challenge to the ordinance has expired, and (5) the municipality has incurred or contracted to incur expenditures exceeding $5 million in connection with annexation as of the act’s effective date. Makes a conforming change.

Senate committee substitute makes the following changes to 1st edition. Amends the long title to AN ACT TO PROVIDE WHEN A PERSON MAY USE DEFENSIVE FORCE, INCLUDING FORCE THAT IS INTENDED OR LIKELY TO CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS BODILY HARM, AND TO CREATE A PRESUMPTION THAT A PERSON IS PRESUMED TO HAVE HELD A REASONABLE FEAR OF IMMINENT PERIL OF DEATH OR SERIOUS BODILY HARM IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.
Defense of home, motor vehicle, or workplace. Amends proposed GS 14-51.2 adding definitions for home, motor vehicle, and workplace. Deletes definitions for criminal prosecution, dwelling and residence. Adds the definition for home and includes the concept of curtilage (the area of land immediately surrounding a home that is enclosed or considered to be enclosed) in that definition. Adds workplace and motor vehicle to the places where a lawful occupant who uses defensive force that is intended or likely to cause death or serious bodily harm is presumed to have held a reasonable fear of imminent death or serious bodily harm (was, fear of imminent peril of death or great bodily harm) to self or to another. Deletes the words “dwelling or residence” wherever they appear and replaces them with “home, motor vehicle, or workplace.” Provides that a person who uses force as permitted by this proposed statute in defense of home, motor vehicle, or workplace is immune from criminal and civil liability (was, criminal prosecution and civil action) except if the force is used against a law enforcement officer acting lawfully (was, acting) in the performance of the officer’s official duties and the officer provided identification or the person using the force knew or reasonably should have known that the person was a law enforcement officer lawfully acting in performance of the officer’s official duties. Clarifies that the presumption applies to a lawful occupant of the home, motor vehicle, or the workplace (was, applies to a person). Adds that a lawful occupant of the home, motor vehicle, or the workplace has no duty to retreat. Preserves all applicable common law defenses.
Defense of self or another. Enacts new GS 14-51.3 providing that a person may use force, but not deadly force, in the defense of self or of others if the person reasonably believes that the use of force is a necessary defense against the imminent use of unlawful force by another. However, provides that a person is justified in the use of deadly force and has no duty to retreat in any place the person has the lawful right to be if: (1) the person reasonably believes that the use of deadly force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to self or to another; or under the circumstances permitted under proposed GS 14-51.2. Provides that a person who uses force as permitted in proposed GS 14-51.3 is immune from civil or criminal liability except if the person against whom the force is used is a law enforcement officer acting lawfully in the performance of the officer’s official duties and the officer provided identification or the person using the force knew or reasonably should have known that the person was a law enforcement officer lawfully acting in performance of the officer’s official duties.

Directs the Department of Commerce (Department) to contract with an independent consulting firm that specializes in unemployment insurance and employment security reform, to obtain recommendations on tax structure changes and on how the revenues and other financial options may service and liquidate the state’s debt liability for unemployment insurance benefits and the deficit in the North Carolina Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. Directs the Department to expedite entering into a contract with the consultant. Requires the Department to provide progress updates to the Fiscal Research Division and the Program Evaluation Division. Instructs the Department to report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the consultant’s reform recommendations within 45 days after analysis completion. Directs the Employment Security Commission and the Department of Revenue to cooperate to implement the purposes of the act. Includes whereas clauses.

Appropriates $500,000 for 2011-12 and $500,000 for 2012-13 from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Rural Health and Community Care (Office), to be allocated to the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine’s Perinatal Quality Care Initiative of North Carolina (PQCNC) to fund research projects to help reduce infant mortality and morbidity. Requires PQCNC, in conjunction with the Office, Community Care of North Carolina, and in support of the Division of Medical Assistance’s Pregnancy Home Initiative, to adopt annual work plans that include research projects with health care providers and hospitals. Also requires PQCNC to submit progress reports on each project to the Office and the General Assembly. Effective July 1, 2011.

Amends GS 20-79.4(b) to add a special registration plate that bears the phrase “Mountains-to-Sea Trail” with a background designed by the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, Inc. Amends GS 20-79.7 to establish a special plate fee of $30. Distributes $10 of the fee amount to the Special Registration Plate Account and $20 to the Collegiate and Cultural Attraction Plate Account (CCAPA). Amends GS 20-81.12 to direct the Division of Motor Vehicles to make a quarterly transfer of the money in the CCAPA earned from the sale of the Mountains-to-Sea plates to the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, Inc., to be used to fund trail projects and related administrative and operating expenses. Provides that the development of the plate is contingent on receiving at least 300 plate applications. Effective July 1, 2011.

Amends GS 14-17, as title indicates. Effective for offenses committed on or after December 1, 2011.

Amends GS 105-277.9 to provide that real property that lies within a transportation corridor marked on an official map filed under the Transportation Corridor Official Map Act (Map Act) is designated a special class of property under the North Carolina Constitution and will be taxable at 20% of the appraised value of the property (rather than 20% of the general tax rate levied on real property by the taxing unit where the property is situated) if two requirements are met, as specified.
Enacts new GS 105-277.9A to provide that real property on which a building or other structure is located and that lies within a transportation corridor marked on an official map filed under the Map Act is designated a special class of property under the North Carolina Constitution and will be taxable at 50% of the appraised value of the property if the property has not been subdivided, as defined in GS 153A-335 (definition for counties) or GS 160A-376 (definition for cities), since it was included in the corridor.
Effective for taxes imposed for taxable years beginning on or after July 1, 2011.