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

Amends Section1 of this act to provide thatregardless of the provisions of GS 105-380 (No taxes to be released, refunded, or compromised) and any other provisions of law restricting the time when a change in appraisal or valuation of property may be made or any other provisions of Subchapter II of GS Chapter 105 that is inconsistent with this act, a board of county commissioners must engage in the measures required in this act if all of the specified conditions are met. Provides that the provisions of GS 105-380 do not apply to issuing any refund under the provisions of this act.

Deletes language specifying that the county have independent corroborating evidence regarding instances of inequity and instead requires independent evidence and requires that there be evidence that themajority of commercial neighborhoods in the county reviewed bya qualified appraisal company have significant issues of inequity. Provides that the same qualified appraisal company may conduct the review required under Section 1 and Section 2 of this act.

Provides that the interest on taxes that were paid on parcels with errorsthat resulted in the parcels having an overstated value are to be calculated at a rate of 5% per annum (was,required any overpayment of taxes, as a result of overstated valuations, to be refunded, with interest paid on the overpayment pursuant to GS 105-360(e)).Provides that the discovery penalties set out insubsection (h) of GS 105-312 do not apply to additional taxes levied on parcels as a result of errors causing the parcels to have an understated value and treated as taxes on discovered property under GS 105-312.

Amends the whereas clauses.

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

Makes a clarifying change.

 

Amends GS 116-6.1 as the title indicates.

Amends GS 75, adding a new Article 8, Personal Information Protection Act, providing that a business collecting personal information cannot disclose that information to a third-party person or business located outside the United States unless clear and conspicuous notice is given to the consumer in writing or electronic form.  This is in addition to any other notice required by NC or federal law, but it may be included on the same written or electronic form containing such other notices.  Provides that the terms, business, consumer, person, and personal information have the same meaning as in GS 75-61.  Any violation of this section is a violation of GS 75-1.1 (Methods of competition, acts and practices regulated; legislative policy).

Effective October 1, 2013.

As title indicates.

Amends GS 62-157 (Telecommunication relay service), adding Interconnected VoIP service and VoIP provider to the terms and definitions for use in this section. Establishes that the Utilities Commission (Commission) will allow all local service providers to impose a monthly surcharge on all residential and business local exchange access facilities to fund a statewide telecommunications relay service (previously, the Commission required the local service providers impose a monthly surcharge on all residential and business local exchange access facilities). Also allows CMRS providers and VoIP providers to impose the monthy surcharge. Allows local service providers, CMRS providers, and VoIP providers to deduct a 1% administrative fee from the total amount of the permissible surcharge submitted to the State Treasurer or 911 Board.

Makes technical and conforming changes.

Effective January 1, 2014, applying to all telecommunications service relay surcharges on or after that date.

Amends GS 14-269.4 to allow a clerk of court to carry a handgun on certain state property, including a courthouse, while discharging his or her official duties, as long as (1) the person has a valid concealed handgun permit, has been certified as having completed a basic law enforcement training course, or has successfully completed a one-time weapons retention training similar to that provided to certified law enforcement officers and (2) the person secures the handgun in a locked compartment while the gun is not on the person. Effective December 1, 2013.

Amends GS Chapter 20 by adding a new section GS 20-28.10 (Seizure, impoundment, forfeiture of motor vehicles for driving without insurance), providing that after being charged for operating or permitting a motor vehicle to be operated in North Carolina without meeting the financial requirements of GS 20, Article 13, in violation of GS 20-313, the law enforcement agency will seize the motor vechicle and deliver it to the sheriff of the county in which the offense was committed, or placed under constructive possession if actual delivery is impractical, and held pending the trial of the person.

Provides that a sheriff will restore a motor vehicle seized, pursuant to this section, if the owner pays the costs incurred by the sheriff for towing, processing, and storing the vehicle and either(1) executes a good and valid bond with sufficient sureties in an amount double the value of the property, (2) the charge leading to the seizure is dismissed or the person is acquitted, or (3) the owner presents proof of financial responsibility to the sheriff or demonstrates the violation was a mistake or clerical error.

Provides that the court can order a sale, at public auction, upon conviction of the operator for the violation listed above and provides the conditions and procedures for doing so. Establishes four exceptions where vehicles seized in accordance with this section should not be sold, including by petition of the lienholder, where the court may allow reclamation of the vehicle by the lienholder. Establishes that GS 20-28.10 does not apply if GS 20-28.2 or any other law of North Carolina requires the seizure, impoundment, and forfeiture of the motor vehicle.

Amends GS 20-313 (Operation of motor vehicle without financial responsibility a misdemeanor), providing that a violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor and also subjects the motor vehicle operated when violating this section to forfeiture in accordance with GS 20-28.10 (previously, no forfeiture or seizure was provided for).

Applies to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2013.

Identical to S 701, filed 4/2/13.

Enacts Article 11C of GS Chapter 66, titled State Intellectual Property and Information Technology Assets. Intellectual property developed by an employee of the state or local government during work hours within the scope of the employee's employment or when using state or locally controlled facilities is the property of the state or joint property of that local employing entity and the state. Contracts entered into between the state and other organizations or vendors must, in express terms, grant the state a security interest in royalties from any intellectual property or information technology capabilities that used state or local funds, facilities, or other resources in its development. Requires the University of North Carolina and constituent institutions, the Community Colleges System, and the Department of Public Instruction to adopt and revise intellectual property, inventor, and information technology development guidelines. To protect its intellectual property and information technology assets, all data, information, and records in any form created by or on behalf of the state must be held as confidential. These items are not subject to public disclosure under Chapter 132 of the General Statutes unless the Governor specifically releases the information.

 

Enacts new Article 1B, Nonpartisan Redistricting Process, to GS Chapter 120. Directs the Legislative Services Office (Office) to acquire and review information, evaluate facilities, and develop programs in preparation for drawing congressional and legislative redistricting plans after each federal census. Specifies that the Office must obtain, by December 31 of each year ending in zero, Census Bureau information for geographic and political units in North Carolina. Directs the Office to use the data as described. Specifies that the Office must obtain, as soon as possible after January 1 of each year ending in one, Census Bureau population data needed for legislative districting and use the data to assign a population figure to geographic and political units. Directs the Office to make available to the public four types of information after delivering each bill embodying a districting plan to the General Assembly. Includes definitions applicable to Article 1B.

Directs the Office to deliver to the clerks' offices in the General Assembly, before April 1 of each year ending in one, identical bills embodying a plan of legislative and congressional districting prepared according to Article 1B. States that the bill will not be brought to a vote in either chamber less than three legislative days after the report from the Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission is received and made available to members. Specifies that the bill will be voted under a procedure or rule allowing no amendments, except purely corrective changes. Specifies that if the bill is approved on third reading by the first house, it will quickly be brought to a vote in the second house, and if the bill fails, then the clerk of the applicable chamber must, no later than seven days after the bill failed, notify the Office of reasons the bill was not approved. Details provisions applicable when the required population data is not available by the specified date and the procedures for second and third plans of legislative and congressional districting. Directs the Office to provide information about the plan to persons outside Office staff only as may be required, before the Office delivers the bill.

Requires legislative and congressional districts to be established on the basis of population. Provides that senatorial and representative districts will each have a population within 5% of the ideal population for that district. Provides that congressional districts will have a population as nearly as equal to the ideal population and within .1% of the ideal population. Requires legislative and congressional districts to be drawn in a manner that complies with requirements of federal and state law. States that the "whole county" rule will be complied with in a manner consistent with federal law. Provides that division of voting tabulation districts will also be minimized. Details additional provisions related to district division, including requiring contiguous territory and reasonably compact districts. Specifies that no district will be drawn to favor any individual, group, or political party, and the districts will not be divided using political affiliation, previous election results, or demographic information unless required by the NC or US Constitution or the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Establishes a five-member Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission (Commission) no later than February 15 of each year. Provides additional details regarding Commission members and timelines. Lists three detailed functions of the Commission, including answering written requests for direction from the Office and conducting public hearings after districting bills are delivered to the General Assembly.

This act applies to redistricting following the return of the 2020 federal census.

Amends GS 160A-360, as the title indicates. Makes a conforming change to GS 160A-362.

Amends GS 18B-1009 to allow the sale of malt beverages in the seating areas of stadiums, ballparks, and other similar public places with a seating capacity of 3,000 or more (was, 60,000 or more in cities with a population greater than 450,000) during professional sporting events, provided certain specifications are met.

Enacts new GS 14-362.4 making it illegal to confine an animal in a motor vehicle under conditions that are likely to cause suffering, injury, or death. Makes violations a Class 2 misdemeanor if the animal does not suffer serious injury or death and a Class 1 misdemeanor if the animal suffers serious injury or dies. Subsequent violations, regardless of the injury to the animal, are Class 1 misdemeanors. Allows specified classes of individuals who have probable cause to believe that the statute is being violated to enter a motor vehicle by any reasonable means after making a reasonable effort to locate the animal's owner or other responsible person. Applies to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2013.