Senate committee substitute to the 2nd edition makes the following change.

Deletes the requirement that teacher licensure renewal must include at least two continuing education credits in high-quality, integrated digital teaching and learning. Instead, requires only that digital teaching and learning be integrated into the requirements for licensure renewal.

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

Amends GS 7B-909 toprovide a review of a department's or agency's plan for a juvenile must be scheduled for a hearing within six months of accepting a relinquishment of a juvenile for adoption under the provisions of Part 7 GS Chapter 48, Article 3 unlessone of the the described actions in subsections (a)(1) or (a)(2) is true (was, clarified that a a review of a department's or agency's plan for a juvenile must be scheduled for a hearing in a court session whenever either of the the described actions in subsections (a)(1) or (a)(2) have occurred).

Amends subsection (a)(1) to provide that the juvenile has become the subject of an adoption decree and substantively moves the proposed content of (a)(1) from the 1st edition to (a)(2), regarding when only one parent has relinquished for adoption and the other parent's consent for relinquishment cannot be obtained.

Provides that notification of the court under this section is by a petition for review or a motion for review (was, by a petition for review) if the court is exercising jurisdiction over the juvenile.

Amends GS 48-3-702 regarding procedures for relinquishment to provide that an individual before whom a relinquishment is signed and acknowledged must certify that the parent, guardian, or minor to be adopted who is executing the relinquishment has been advised that counseling services are available (was, may be) throughthe agency to which the relinquishment is given (was, through county departments of social services or licensed child-placing agencies).

Makes technical corrections.

House committee substitute makes the following change to the 1st edition. Changes the effective date to January 1, 2015.

Amends GS 115C-378 as the title indicates. Requires a parent, guardian, or custodian of a child between the ages of 7 and 18 years (was, 7 and 16 years) to ensure that the child continuously attends school as assigned unless the child graduates from high school or drops out of school under new subsection (a1) to GS 115C-378.

New subsection (a1) provides the criteria that must be met before a child between 16 and 18 years old may drop out of school. Requires that the child and the child's parent, custodian, or guardian attend a final counseling session where a written statement encouraging the child to stay in school is presented and signed by the childand the child's parent, guardian, or custodian. Prescribes that the statement must also include information on (1) the academic skills that the child has not yet acquired, (2) the difference in earning power between a high school graduate and a high school dropout, and(3) theeducational alternatives available to the child.

Makes conforming changes to GS 115C-238.66(3) and GS 116-235(b)(2).

Amends the definition for undisciplined juvenilein GS 7B-1501(27) and GS 143B-805(20). Provides that an undisciplined juvenile includes a person 16 or 17 years of age who has not dropped out of school in accordance with GS 115C-378(a1), is unlawfully absent from school,and meets one or more of the criteria for the definition of undisciplined juvenile under current law.

Effective when the act becomes law and applies beginning with the 2013-14 school year.

Appropriates $51,000 for 2013-14 from the General Fund to Franklin County Volunteers in Medicine Clinic Inc. to provide medical services to those in need in Franklin County and surrounding areas. Effective July 1, 2013.

As the title indicates, repeals GS 116-143.6. Provides that the repeal of GS 116-143.6 does not affect full scholarships received prior to the effective date of this act except that a student's eligibility for in-state tuition under GS 116-143.6 is limited to a cumulative total of eight academic semesters.

Amends GS 145-33 to adopt the East Arcadia Blue Monday Shad Fry as the state's official Blue Monday Shad Fry.

As the title indicates.

Amends GS 44A-40 (Definitions)as follows: (1) provides that last known address means a mailing or email address, (2) personal property includes watercraft, and (3) adds a definition for email or electronic mail.

Amends provisions governing Notice and Hearing (GS 44A-43) to include notice and hearing criteria regarding property with a lien claimed for a motor vehicle, watercraft, or trailer (was, a motor vehicle) and property with a lien claimed for other than a motor vehicle, watercraft, or trailer. Makes a conforming change to include notice sent by electronic mail (was, notice only via the United States Postal Service).

Alsoprovides thatnotice via first class mail (was, certified mail) or electronic mail is acceptable regarding the sale of personal property by the lienor at public sale (was, notice only via the USPS). Permits the lienor to publish notice of sale not less thanfive days prior to public sale either in a newspaper of general circulation in the county of the sale or in any other commercially reasonable manner. Provides that the advertisement is deemed to be commercially reasonableif a minimum of three independent bidders attend the sale.

Permits the sale to be conducted at a live auction or via an online, publicly accessible auction web site.

Deletes subsection (d) of GS 44A-43 regarding the content of the Notice of Sale.

Amends GS 66-306 to provide that in rental contracts with a fixed time for payment of the rent, the late fee for a rental unit cannot be more than$20 or 20% (was, 15%) of the rental payment, whichever amount is greater.

Subject to approval by voters of the state at the general election held November 4, 2014, amends Article 1, Section 30, of the North Carolina Constitution (Militia and the right to bear arms), adding new Section 30(2) and (3), establishing that holders of valid concealed handgun permits are only prohibited from carrying in the following areas or situations:

(1) In courthouses.

(2) In federal government buildings where the federal government prohibits weapons.

(3) On private property where the owner has posted signs prohibiting the carrying of a concealed weapon.

(4) On school campuses by those not authorized to carry on campus.

(5) In law enforcement or correctional facilities.

(6) While consuming alcohol or while the person still has alcohol or a controlled substance remaining in his or her body, except where the controlled substance was lawfully obtained and taken in therapeutically appropriate amounts or if the person is on his or her own property.

(7) The holder is under a domestic violence court order entered as provided by law.

Provides that, in accordance with the US Constitution and this section of the state Constitution, the state will never engage in a general confiscation of its citizens weapons and never cooperate in a effort to do so.

Amends GS 14-269.3 (Carrying weapons into assemblies and establishments where alcoholic beverages are sold and consumed), creating an exemption for persons with valid concealed handgun permits carrying handguns from the prohibition on carrying weapons into assemblies or establishments where alcohol is served. Also makes technical changes.

Amends GS 14-269.4 (Weapons on certain State property and in courthouses), making technical and clarifying changes. Creates new subsection GS 14-269.4(d), exempting people with concealed handgun permits who are carrying handguns from the prohibition on carrying them in buildings housing courts of the General Court of Justice, as described in GS 14-269.4(b). Eliminates exemption for concealed weapons in locked containers in a locked vehicle.

Amends GS 14-277.2 (Weapons at parades, etc., prohibited), making technical and clarifying changes. Adds new exemption to section, providing that any person who has a valid concealed handgun permit, and the firearm is a handgun, as defined in GS 14-309.39, is exempt from the provisions in GS 14-277.2, banning weapons at parades and other procession/demonstration-like events on state property or in private health care facilities.

Amends GS 14-415.11 (Permit to carry concealed handgun; scope of permit), making technical and clarifying changes. Deletes GS 14-415.11(c1) (any person who has a concealed handgun permit may carry a concealed handgun on the grounds or waters of a park within the State Parks System as defined in GS 113-44.9).

Amends GS 14-409.40(f), making technical changes and adding language stating that nothing in this subsection will further restrict the scope of a concealed carry permit, as provided in GS 14-415.11(c).

Upon a majority of votes on the amendment to the Constitution, the State Board of Elections will certify the amendment to the Secretary of State. After this certification, the changes in this act become effective.

 

Amends GS 159-52 to direct a Local Government Commission (Commission) that approves an application for a bond issue to use current interest rates to estimate the total amount of interest anticipated to result from the proposed bond and include that estimated amount in the order approving the application. Amends GS 159-61(d) to require that the estimated amount of principal andinterest that wouldresult from the proposed bond be included in the question on the ballot as to whether to approve the bond issue.

Enacts new GS 142-15.4 to declare that any general obligation bond issued by the General Assembly must use the current interest rate to determine an estimate of the total amount of interest anticipated to result from the proposed bond. Requires that the question on the ballot include the amount of principal and anticipated interestandtheState Treasurer's calculations as to the estimated cost of the debt resulting from the proposed bond. Also requires that ballot include a statement indicating that approval of the general obligation bond does not require the issuance of the general obligation bond.

Effective when the act becomes law and applies to bonds proposed on or after that date.

Amends GS 115C-238.29F(g) to permit charter schools to extend enrollment priority to siblings applying for admission to the charter school at the same time and to children of the school's employees (was, school's principal, teachers, and teacher assistants). Provides that siblings includes, for purposes of this section, half-siblings and step-siblings. Provides that if a lottery is needed under subdivision (5) of this section, the charter school is to enter one surname into the lottery to represent all of the siblings applying at that time (was, provision applied to multiple birth siblings only). Additionally provides that a charter school may offer enrollment priority to a student who was enrolled in the charter school within the previous two school years but left the school to participate in extraordinary educational opportunities or because of vocational opportunities available to the student's parent. Applies beginning with the 2013-14 school year.

Enacts new GS 163-166.13 providing that alegally registered voter may certify his or her identity by one of two methods: (1) by signing a voter photo affidavit or by (2) presenting proper photo identification.

Proposed subsection (b) provides that a voter photo affidavit is a photograph taken by a designated election official that is signed by the voter toaffirm that the voter is in fact the registered voter inwhose name the ballot is requested. Makes it a Class I felony under GS 163-275(7) to falsely sign the affidavit. Requires that the signed photo affidavit be on file in digital format at the county board of elections office for a time to be determined by the State Board of Elections and included in the state voter file.

Proposed subsection (c) specifies the forms of identification containing a photograph of the registered voter which are considered to be "photo identification" as used in this section. Includes among acceptable photo identification a voter registration card issued by the State Board of Elections or a county board of elections even though the voter registration card does not contain a picture of the voter. Also includes various other unexpired identification cardswith a picture of the voter such as a driver's license, employee identification card, military ID card, student ID card issued by an accredited university or college in North Carolina, or a US passport.

Amends GS 163-82.6A(b) to require that in addition to the proof of residence required to register to vote under current law, a voter must either sign a voter photo affidavit or present photo identification as required under proposed GS 163-166.13.

Makes conforming changes to GS 163-166.7 (Checking registration), GS 163-227.2(b) (regarding requesting an application for an absentee ballot), and GS 163-87 (Challenges allowed on day of primary or election).

Amends GS 163-278.69 to require that the Judicial Voter Guide must include information on the requirements for voting in person under new GS 163-166.13.

Provides that all of the above listed provisions apply to primaries and elections conducted on or after January 1, 2014.

Requires, effective July 1, 2013, that the public be educated about the requirements of this act and specifies the structure and content of the public education and publicity requirements.

Amends GS 116-143.7, (Tuition surcharge), specifying that courses and credit hours taken at another constituent institution or community college and accepted for transfer credit count towards the credit limit for the tuition surcharge (was, any courses and credit hours accepted for transfer). Excludes courses and credit hours transferred and accepted for credit from an institution of higher learning that is not a constituent institution or a community college from counting towards the tuition surcharge limit.

Mandates that each constituent institution must implement procedures to notify students and parents about the tuition surcharge and to provide advance notice to a student when the student is approaching the credit hour limit for the tuition surcharge.

Charges the UNC Board of Governors (Board) with developing a uniform set of notification principles regarding the tuition surcharge, including a process for each campus to notify students and parents at orientation and through each each semester's tuition statements, as well as advance notification when the student is approaching the credit hour limit for the tuition surcharge. The Board will direct each constituent instituion to implement these procedures.

Effective when the act becomes law and applies to the fall 2013 academic semester and each subsequent academic semester.