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

Deletes previous changes to GS 115C-84.2(d), which provides parameters for local boards of education to apply in determining the opening and closing dates for public schools.

Current law requires each local board of education to have 215 calendar days in its school calendar with a minimum of 185 days or 1,025 hours of instruction covering a period of at least nine calendar months. Amends GS 115C-84.2(a)(1) to make the minimum instruction period in a calendar year consist of 1,025 hours, deleting the 185 days requirement. Provides that local boards may approve school improvement plans that include a varying number of instructional hours in instructional days occurring in different semesters of the school year, and that they may vary the number of days per instructional semester if the hours of instruction remain equivalent between semesters. Also provides that if a school board adopts a school calendar with less than 185 days of instruction that teachers, who are 10-month employees, are deemed to have been employed the equivalent of 185 days of instruction and compensated as if they had worked those days. Provides that annual leave, sick leave, workdays, holidays, salary, and longevity for teachers employed at schools with instructional calendars less than 185 days must be equivalent to those of other teachers employed for the same number of months.

Amends GS 115C-174.12(4) to authorize a local board of education that has implemented a school calendar that ends the fall semester before December 31 to administer fall exams prior to the conclusion of the semester.

Directs the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee (Committee) to study local school administrative units that havesuccessfullyused calendar flexibility under GS 115C-84.2 to have semester exams prior to December 31. Requires the Committee to report its findings and recommendations to the 2016 Regular Session of the 2015 General Assembly.

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

Amends GS 67-37 as follows. Adds that when an incident occurs in a city or town and there is no police department in that city or town, the sheriff's department or any county policy department for that county is the appropriate law enforcement agency for notification of an injury caused by an animal. Adds the requirement that any report of a domestic or wild animal bite received by a law enforcement agency be immediately forwarded to the Local Health Director for appropriate rabies control measures. Makes organizational changes to the statute. 

House amendment makes the following changes to the 2nd edition.

Deletes the study requirement and makes conforming changes. Changes the act's long title. 

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

Amends GS 126-7.1(e) to require that state employees be given priority in hiring when the state employee has substantially equal qualifications (was, greater qualifications) as an applicant who is not a state employee. Also amends the hiring priority in subsection (f) to the substantially equal standard in situations where the employee applies for an opening in state government or applies for a position as a result of being RIF'd (reduction in force). Rewrites subsection (g) to amend part of the definition of qualificationsused in this section from "years of applicable experience" to "years of experience."

Amends GS 126-14.2 to state that it is state policy that state departments, agencies, and institutions select the most qualified persons (was, select from the pool of qualified persons) for state government employment.

Amends GS 126-24(2a), amended in this act, to allow employee personnel files to be opened for inspection and examination by a potential state or local government supervisor, during the interview process, only with regard to performance management documents (was, with regard to performance management documents and disciplinary actions).

House amendment to the 2nd edition makes a clarifying change.

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

Amends the short and long titles.

Deletes all of the provisions from the previous edition and replaces it with the following.

Amends GS 18B-1001, deleting references to specified provisions of the NC Administrative Code which before deletion had the effect of only authorizing the sale of malt beverages, pursuant to on-premises malt beverage permits and off-premises malt beverage permits, when the packaging and sealing of the product was done in compliance with those specified provisions. Makes technical changes. Adds language concerning on-premises and off-premises unfortified wine permits and wine shop permits, authorizing the retail sale of unfortified wine dispensed from a tap connected to a pressurized container utilizing carbon dioxide or similar gas into a cleaned, sanitized, resealable container that is filled or refilled and sealed for consumption off the premises and that identifies the permittee and the date the container was filled or refilled (previously, authorized the retail sale of cider in a cleaned, sanitized, resealable container that is filled or refilled and sealed for consumption off the premises when in compliance with specified regulations).

Adds language that provides that the NC Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission rules regulating the retail sale of malt beverages in growlers also apply to the retail sale of unfortified wine in growlers until such time that the Commission adopts administrative rules implementing this act. 

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

Deletes all provisions of previous edition and replaces it with the following.

Establishes the 16 member North Carolina Zoning Modernization Legislative Task Force (Task Force) to make recommendations on whether to consolidate and modernize Article 19 of GS Chapter 160A and Article 18 of GS Chapter 153A, including the study of the provisions of H 548 from the 2015 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Sets out membership requirements, with eight members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and eight members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. Requires appointment to be made by September 1, 2015, and requires the first meeting to be held on or before October 1, 2015. Requires the Task Force to report its findings and recommendations to the 2016 Regular Session of the 2015 General Assembly upon its convening and terminate the Task Force on May 1, 2016, or upon the filing of its final report, whichever occurs first.

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

Amends GS 14-269 to add that an administrative law judge who has a concealed handgun permit is exempt from the prohibition on carrying concealed handguns. Makes conforming changes to GS 14-415.27.

Amends GS 14-296.2 to remove the provision stating that no school may prohibit the concealed carry of a handgun under (k) concerning handguns in locked vehicles.

Deletes the following: (1) changes to GS 14-269.3(b), concerning handguns on the premises of the State Fairgrounds; (2) the repeal of GS 14-402, GS 14-403, GS 14-404, GS 14-405, and GS 14-407.1; (3) changes to GS 14-315(b1) concerning defenses; (4) new GS 14-409.41, Chief law enforcement officer certification; certain firearms; and (5) new GS 14-409.42, No prohibition regarding the transportation or storage of a firearm in locked motor vehicle by business, commercial enterprise, or employer; civil liability enforcement. 

Enacts new GS 106-503.2 allowing the Commissioner of Agriculture to prohibit carrying firearms on the State Fairgrounds during the State Fair. Sets out exemptions.

Amends GS 14-415.21 to make it an infraction to carry a concealed handgun in violation of GS 14-415.11(c)(8), prohibiting concealed carry on any private premises where notice that carrying a concealed handgun is prohibited by the posting of a conspicuous notice or statement by the person in legal possession or control of the premises. Makes conforming changes. Effective July 1, 2015.

Repeals GS 122C-54(d1) (concerning determinations or findings to be reported to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) under the statute governing exceptions and abuse reports and court proceedings). Effective January 1, 2016.

Recodifies GS 122C-54.1 (Restoration process to remove mental commitment bar) as GS 14-409.42.

Repeals GS 14-404(c1) (transmission of information to NICS under the statute concerning refusals to issue pistol permits).

Enacts new GS 14-409.43, Reporting of certain disqualifiers to the NICS, establishing seven instances when a record of determination or finding should be transmitted to the NICS no later than 48 hours after receiving notice, including when there is a determination that an individual shall be involuntarily committed to a facility for inpatient mental health treatment upon a finding that the individual is mentally ill and dangerous to self or others and when there is a finding that an individual is not guilty by reason of insanity. Sets out reporting requirements for additional circumstances including after receiving notice of a felony warrant, indictment, or criminal summons by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) or specified orders issued by a judge. Effective January 1, 2016.

Amends GS 122C-54(d2), providing that the records for involuntary commitment for inpatient or outpatient mental health treatment or for substance abuse treatment are accessible only by the sheriff or the sheriff's designee for the purposes of conducting background checks as specified. Deletes language which required the Administrative Office of the Courts to adopt rules concerning transmitting information to NICS.

Amends GS 14-404(a) (concerning the issuance or refusal of pistol permits) and GS 14-415.13(a) (concerning the application for a concealed handgun permit), adding language to both that provides that the required application forms pursuant to those subsections must be provided electronically by the sheriff. Effective October 1, 2015.

Amends GS 15A-502 adding new subsections that provide that it is the duty of an arresting law enforcement agency to fingerprint a person charged with the commission of specified misdemeanors, including but not limited to, GS 14-134.3 (Domestic criminal trespass), GS 20-138.1 (Impaired driving), or GS 90-95(d) (Possession of a controlled substance). Also provides that arresting law enforcement agencies are required to get as much of the specified personal identifying information as possible; such information includes given names, addresses, date of birth, gender, or race.  Also requires arresting law enforcement agencies to fingerprint and forward the fingerprints to the NICS of all individuals charged with the misdemeanor offense of assault, stalking, or communicating a threat and held under GS 15A-534.1. Requires magistrates to enter all information provided by the arresting law enforcement agencies into the court information system. Makes technical and organizational changes. Effective October 1, 2015.

Directs the AOC to use funds available form the Court Technology Fund to comply with the reporting provisions found in Section 4 of the bill, as well as to provide all the specified historical records to the NICS, including active and unserved felony warrants, indictments, criminal summonses, and orders for arrest from all counties.

Amends GS 14-404(g), 14-415.3(c), and 14-415.12(c), making conforming changes.

Amends GS 122C-54.1(a), recodified by Section 2 of the act as GS 14-409.42(a), making conforming changes, effective January 1, 2016.

Amends GS 15A-534(a), making conforming changes, effective October 1, 2015.

Amends GS 14-409.40 to add that no county or municipality may regulate the taxation, manufacture, or transportation of firearms and related items. Allows a person adversely affected by any ordinance, rule, or regulation promulgated or caused to be enforced by any county or municipality in violation of the statute to bring an action for declaratory and injunctive relief and for actual damages. Requires the court to award the prevailing plaintiff reasonable attorneys' fees and court costs. Effective December 1, 2015.

Enacts new Article 11, Preserving Firearms Privacy for Patients, in GS Chapter 90. States the General Assembly's findings and intent. Sets out and defines terms for use in the Article. Prohibits a health care provider from asking a patient or the patient's parent, guardian, or custodian to complete a written form about the patient's lawful ownership, possession, handling, storage, maintenance of, or other conduct involving firearms and ammunition unless the patient has been adjudicated incompetent due to mental illness. Also prohibits a health care provider from disclosing to any government official or agency the response of a patient, or the patient's parent, guardian, or custodian, to verbal inquiries about the patient's lawful ownership, possession, handling, storage, maintenance of, or other conduct involving firearms and ammunition, unless the patient has been adjudicated incompetent due to mental illness. Allows the health care provider's licensing board to impose a fine for violations of the provisions not to exceed $250 for nonwillful violations and $500 for willful violations. Also makes violations grounds for disciplinary action. Effective December 1, 2015, and applies to violations occurring on or after that date.

Amends GS 14-415.15(a) to require the sheriff to issue or deny a concealed handgun permit within 90 calendar days from the date on which the application was submitted regardless of the receipt of required records concerning the applicant's mental health or capacity. Prohibits issuing a denial unless the applicant is determined to be ineligible under GS 14-415.12. Effective October 1, 2015.

Amends GS 14-415.23 (Statewide uniformity) to allow a person adversely affected by any ordinance, rule, or regulation promulgated or caused to be enforced by any unit of local government in violation of the statute to bring an action for declaratory and injunctive relief and for actual damages. Requires the court to award the prevailing plaintiff reasonable attorneys' fees and court costs. Effective December 1, 2015. 

Amends the act's long title.

House amendment makes the following changes to the 2nd edition:

Deletes proposed changes made to GS 115C-105.37B and GS 115C-105.25 in the previous edition.

Enacts GS 115C-105.37B(e), providing that organizations such as the NC School Boards Association can conduct professional development workshops in each region of the state to provide information regarding the four school reform models as set out in GS 115C-105.37B(a). Requires particular emphasis to be placed on the restart model. Directs the Department of Public Instruction to provide information and assistance as requested to the organizations conducting the workshops. 

Enacts GS 115C-105.25(d), providing that organizations such as the NC School Boards Association can conduct professional development workshops in each region of the state to provide information regarding budget flexibility in regards to differentiated pay and other initiatives to improve student achievement. Directs the Department of Public Instruction to provide information and assistance as requested to the organizations conducting the workshops. 

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

Amends GS 75-63.1, Security freeze for protected consumers, which allows a consumer reporting agency to place a protected consumer security freeze (freeze), clarifying that a consumer reporting agency can place a freeze after receiving a request to do so by way of first-class mail, a telephone call, or by secure website or secure electronic mail connection. Amends the provisions concerning the charging of a reasonable fee by a consumer reporting agency for placing a freeze, providing that a reasonable fee not to exceed $5 can be charged (previously, provided for a fee not to exceed $3). Deletes language which provided that a fee could not be charged for the placement or removal of a freeze if that request was made electronically. 

Expands by ten the parties to which the placement of a freeze does not stop the release of a protected consumer's consumer report, file, or additional information, including adding persons acting pursuant to a court order, warrant, or subpoena and to a person for the purpose of criminal background record information.   

Amends the effective date, providing that the act is effective January 1, 2016 (was, October 1, 2015).

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

Amends GS 75-41 to require people (was, people, firms, or corporations), engaged in commerce selling, leasing, or offering to sell any type of products or services pursuant to a contract that automatically renews without cancellation, to do the following three things: (1) disclose the automatic renewal clause clearly and conspicuously in the contract or contract offer; (2) disclose clearly and conspicuously how to cancel the contract in the initial contract, contract offer, or with delivery of products or services; and (3) for automatic renewal exceeding 30 days, provide written notice to the consumer by personal delivery, electronic mail, or first-class mail at least 15 days, but no earlier than 30 days, before the date the contract is to be automatically renewed and include information concerning the date the contract will automatically renew without consumer cancellation.  Makes organizational, technical, and clarifying changes. Adds language that provides that this section does not apply to any entity that is subject to regulation by the Federal Communications Commission or by the NC Utilities Commission. Also exempts entities doing business directly or through a franchise, license, certificate, or other authorization issued by a political subdivision of the state from regulation under this section. 

House amendment makes the following changes to the 2nd edition:

Directs the State Board of Education to contract with a private, nonprofit corporation to administer the provisions of this act by October 1, 2015 (was, August 1, 2015).  

Requires the nonprofit corporation contracting with the State Board of Education to, by November 1, 2015 (was, October 1, 2015), issue requests for proposals from local boards of education for local initiatives designed to develop advanced teaching role prototypes. Amends the specified criteria that are to be included in submitted letters of intent by the local board of education, including amending the language that provides that a classroom teacher is required to be rated as "highly effective" and how that rating is calculated. Also amends the provisions and standards by which teachers are rated in regards to teachers serving in advanced roles receiving an additional 3% salary. 

Adds language providing that local school administrative units can also use grant funds to provide salary supplements or to implement other elements of their advanced teaching role plans. Amends other provisions concerning the use of funds, deleting language that provided that allocated funds cannot be used by local school administrative units to pay salary supplements. Adds a requirement that participating local school administrative units must commit to full implementation of the program in 35% of schools (was, 50%) in the unit by the 2018-19 school year. Also provides that they must submit a plan showing the schedule for full implementation in at least 55% of schools by the 2019-20 school year (was, 75% of schools). 

Directs the nonprofit corporation to evaluate the program and include feedback from participating teachers and principals and other affected organizations as determined by the State Board of Education in its submitted recommendations to the General Assembly.

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

Amends the long title.

Deletes all of the provisions from the previous edition and replaces it with the following.

Amends GS 138A-3(15), concerning the definition of gift under the State Ethics Act, adding a new subdivision (g) providing that campaign contributions properly received and reported under federal law are not considered gifts.

Amends GS 138A-3(30)b, concerning the definition for public servants, providing that employees of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor are considered public servants under the State Ethics Act.

Amends GS 138A-12(k), concerning inquiries by the State Ethics Commission, and GS 120C-200, concerning lobbyist registration procedures, making technical and clarifying changes.

Amends GS 120C-601, concerning the powers and duties of the State Ethics Commission, providing that the Commission or the Secretary of State can utilize a hired investigator when conducting investigations. 

House amendment makes the following changes to the 1st edition.

Amends GS 162-16 to add that nothing in the statute requires a sheriff or coroner to execute a judgment where the sheriff or coroner has knowledge that the property to be sold to satisfy the judgment is exempt from execution under Article 16 of GS Chapter 1C, and has been so indicated on the writ of execution.

House amendments make the following changes to the 1st edition.

Amendment #1 prohibits charging tuition to participating students enrolled in remediation courses at South Piedmont Community College associated with the pilot.

Amendment #2 adds that nothing in the act requires the General Assembly to appropriate funds to implement the act. Provides that Section 1 of the act, establishing the pilot project, becomes effective only if funds are approved for the pilot project in the 2015 budget.

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

Amends GS 15-190 as follows. Provides that the definition of medical professional other than a physician is for the purposes of the statute, not the entire Article. Amends that definition to add emergency medical technician, to replace advanced degree nurse with nurse practitioner, and to remove references to being certified (retaining requirements of licensing or credentialing). 

Amends GS 150B-1(d)(6) to exempt the Division of Adult Correction (Division) of the Department of Public Safety from rulemaking with respect to matters related to executions. Amends GS 150B-1(e) to exempt the Division from contested case provisions with respect to matters relating to executions.

House amendments make the following changes to the 2nd edition.

Amendment #1

Amends GS 143-215.22L(d), providing clarifying language that except as provided in the subsection, the definitions set out in GS 113A-9 apply to this section. Also adds language that provides, notwithstanding the thresholds for significant expenditure of public monies or use of public land set forth in GS 113A-9, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will conduct a study of the environmental impacts of any proposed transfer of water for which a certificate is required.

Amendment #2

Amends proposed GS 113A-9(7a), the definition for significant expenditure of public moneys, providing that the term means expenditures of public funds greater than $10 million for a single project (was, $20 million). 

Amendment #3

Amends proposed GS 113A-9(11), the definition for use of public land, providing that the term means activity that affects more than five acres of upland property which results in changes in the natural cover or topography of those lands or activity that would be inconsistent with the approved management plan for a state park (previously, term meant land-disturbing activity of greater than 20 acres resulting in substantial, permanent changes in the natural cover or topography). 

Amendment #4

Amends GS 159G-38, deleting all the changes made to the section in the previous edition. Deletes all the substantive provisions of subsections (a) and (b), adding language that establishes an environmental assessment process, requiring the Division of Water Infrastructure to establish an environmental assessment process for CWSRF and DWSRF funded projects sufficient to meet federal environmental assessment requirements.

House amendment makes the following changes to the 1st edition.

Amends GS 143C-2-5(b) to allow the review of state contracts and grants administered by the entity to be conducted by a designee and requires the review be conducted quarterly instead of monthly.

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

Amends GS 58-50-315 to add that nothing in the Part is to be construed to impact an insurers' ability to substitute a generic drug for a name brand drug.

Makes clarifying and technical changes throughout.

Changes the effective date of the act from October 1, 2015, to January 1, 2016.

House amendment to the 2nd edition provides that the provisions of this act apply to actions for summary ejectment filed on or after October 1, 2015, the date the act becomes effective.

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

Amends GS 18B-101, definitions concerning the regulation of alcoholic beverages, amending the definition for antique spirituous liquor, providing that it is a spirituous liquor that has not been (1) in production or bottled in the last 20 years, (2) is in the original manufacturer's unopened container, (3) is not owned by a distillery, and (4) is not otherwise available for purchase by an ABC Board except through special order. Also adds and defines the term antique spirituous liquor seller. 

Amends proposed GS 18B-1001(20), concerning antique spirituous liquor permits, providing that acquisition of antique spirituous liquor, after September 1, 2015 (was, August 1, 2015), must be in accordance with the process established by the ABC Commission. Deletes language that required a complete inventory of the antique spirituous liquor in possession of an applicant for initial and renewal applications for a permit. Also deletes language which provided that permit holders are solely liable for violations occurring in connection with the sale of antique spirituous liquor and that required the ABC Commission to adopt rules concerning ownership and safety rules and standards. 

Amends GS 18B-804 to require the sale price of spirituous liquor sold at the uniform state price to include the antique spirituous liquor seller's price (previously, required the price of antique spirituous liquor to include the price paid by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission to purchase the liquor). 

Amends GS 105-113.80 to specify that spriituous liquor and antique spirituous liquor are subject to the 30% excise tax.

Requires the ABC Commission to establish and adopt temporary rules to implement the provisions of this act by September 1, 2015 (was, August 1, 2015). 

Deletes provisions that provided that a person that has a permit and has paid the excise tax to sell any antique spirituous liquor in his or her possession before or on the effective date of this act, or acquired by bequest or inheritance after the effective date of this act.