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

Deletes the content of Section 1 concerning the Senate's consideration of confirmation of Erik Hooks as Secretary of the Department of Public Safety, and instead provides that, having given due consideration, the Senate confirms Erik Hooks as Secretary of the Department of Public Safety. Makes conforming changes to the long title.

Enacts new GS Chapter 58, Article 10, Part 10 (Risk Management and Own Risk and Solvency Assessment), as described below.

Enacts new GS 58-10-700 (Purpose and Scope). Applies the Part to all insurers in this State unless exempt pursuant to new GS 58-10-725. Enacts new GS 58-10-705 (Definitions). Defines six terms, including own risk and solvency assessment or ORSA (confidential internal assessment conducted by an insurer or insurance group of the material and relevant risks associated with the insurer or insurance group's current business plan, and the sufficiency of capital resources to support those risks), and ORSA Guidance Manual (current version of the ORSA Guidance Manual developed and adopted by NAIC and as amended from time to time).

Enacts new GS 58-10-710 (Risk Management Framework). Directs insurers to maintain risk management frameworks to assist with identifying, assessing, monitoring, managing, and reporting on their material and relevant risks.

Enacts new GS 58-10-715 (ORSA Requirement). Directs insurers to regularly conduct an ORSA, no less than annually, but also at any time when there are significant changes to the insurer's risk profile.

Enacts new GS 58-10-720 (ORSA Summary Report). Directs the insurer to submit to the Commissioner an ORSA Summary Report, no more than once each year, under two described circumstances. Specifies requirements for signatures and filing a copy of the report with the insurer's board of directors, and provides an allowance for the insurer to substitute a report provided to a commissioner of another state or foreign jurisdiction's regulator, if it includes comparable information.

Enacts new GS 58-10-725 (Exemption). Exempts insurers from this Part's requirements if both the insurer and its insurance group have annual assumed premiums under specified amounts, and specifies report requirements for insurers who only partially meet the exemption standards. Provides for a request for a waiver of the requirements of this Part, to be granted at the discretion of the Commissioner as described. Authorizes the Commissioner to require an insurer that qualifies for an exemption to perform certain ORSA-related tasks, notwithstanding the exemption.

Enacts new GS 58-10-730 (Contents of ORSA Summary Report). Requires an ORSA Summary Report to be prepared consistent with the ORSA Guidance Manual.

Enacts new GS 58-10-735 (Confidentiality). Provides for the confidentiality of documents and other information that are obtained by, created by, or disclosed to the Commissioner under this Part, and provides that they are not public records or subject to subpoena or discovery, or admissible as evidence in any private civil action. Authorizes the Commissioner to use the documents and information in certain ways to assist in the performance of the Commissioner's regulatory duties, including by sharing them with other regulatory organizations, subject to confidentiality requirements.

Enacts new GS 58-10-740 (Sanctions). Subjects insurers who fail, without just cause, to timely file the ORSA Summary Report as required to a civil penalty of $100 for each day's delay, not to exceed a total penalty of $1,000, to be remitted to the Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund.

Contains a severability clause.

Effective January 1, 2018. The Commissioner may request filing of a report under new GS 58-10-720 on or after that date.

Amends GS 160A-353 to give counties and cities the authority to require precautions to ensure the safety and well‑being of county and municipal recreation program participants, including concussion awareness information and a response protocol in case of a suspected concussion. Requires the information and response protocol to be consistent with the State Board of Education's rules for interscholastic athletic activities under GS 115C‑12(23). Provides immunity from civil damages to any program director, employee, or volunteer of a county or municipal recreation program for any act authorized above or for any related omission unless that act or omission amounts to gross negligence, wanton conduct, or intentional wrongdoing. Makes additional technical changes. Effective October 1, 2017. 

Enacts new GS 147-64.6E to make all principal offices and departments listed in GS 143A-11 and GS 143B-6 subject to an annual financial audit. Requires State agencies not listed in those statutes to undergo biennial financial audits. Requires nonprofits that receive State funds (as defined in GS 143C-1-1) or local funds to undergo a quadrennial financial audit. Requires the State Auditor to select independent certified public accountants to perform these audits, under the State Auditor's supervision. Requires audit results to be submitted to the Auditor, General Assembly, and the Governor, and makes them public records.

Sets out requirements that must be met when contracting for auditing services by an independent certified public accountant.

Requires local governments and public authorities subject to GS 159-34 to submit an audit of its accounts (which are considered to be public record) to the Auditor, General Assembly, and the Governor.

Authorizes the Auditor to collect the costs of audit work from each State office, department, agency, or nonprofit corporation. 

Specifies that the audits performed under the statute are in addition to any discretionary audits made by the Auditor.

Makes conforming changes to GS 147-64.6.

Effective January 1, 2018.

Amends GS 7A-133 to split district court district 26 into three districts, with seven judges each, consisting of parts of Mecklenburg County with composition as described in GS 7A-41(b)(28).

Effective January 1, 2018.

Amends GS 15-1. Tolls the statute of limitations for crimes of deceit and malicious mischief, and the crime of petit larceny where the value of the property does not exceed $5, and all misdemeanors except malicious misdemeanors, during the time a misdemeanor is dismissed with leave. Requires those same crimes to be charged (was, presented or found by the grand jury) within two years after the commission of the crime, and specifies that the provision preserving the validity of a defective indictment preserves any criminal process. Effective December 1, 2017, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.

Amends GS 8C-1, Rule 702(a1), to authorize expert testimony on the results of a Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus Test, administered in accordance with the expert's training (currently does not require administration in accordance with training). Requires an expert to have administered a drug influence evaluation, and who hold a certification as a Drug Recognition Expert, for expert testimony on a person's impairment by impairing substances (currently does not require the administration of the evaluation). Effective when the act becomes law.

Enacts new Article 6E, Review of Rare Disease Bills and Resolutions, in GS Chapter 120. Requires that every bill and resolution introduced in the General Assembly that proposes changes to the law pertaining to rare diseases, rare disease research, or rare disease care include an advisory note prepared by the Advisory Council on Rare Diseases (Advisory Council). Specifies that the advisory note must include the Advisory Council's opinion about the merits of the legislation and any recommended changes. Requires the Advisory Council to give the advisory note to the bill sponsor within two weeks after the sponsor has made the request for an advisory note, unless the sponsor agrees to more time. Requires that the advisory note be attached to the original of each proposed bill or resolution that is reported favorably by a committee, but specifies that the note is not a part of the legislation and is not an expression of legislative intent proposed by the legislation. Requires that if a committee reports favorably a proposed bill or resolution with an amendment that proposes a change in the law that pertains to rare diseases, rare disease research, or rare disease care, the chairperson of the committee must obtain an advisory note from the Advisory Council and attach it to the amended bill or resolution. Requires that copies the advisory notes be given to the sponsor of the bill or resolution and the chairpersons of the rules committees.

Makes conforming changes toGS 130A-33.66 by adding the review of each proposed bill and resolution pertaining to rare diseases, rare disease research, and rare disease care and the preparation of an advisory note within 14 days to the Advisory Council's duties. 

Appropriates $250,000 for 2017-18 and $250,000 for 2018-19 from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services to be allocated to the Advisory Council to prepare advisory notes.

Effective July 1, 2017.

Identical to H 254 filed on 3/6/17.

Under GS 143-64.03, the State Surplus Property Agency's duties include distributing surplus State-owned supplies, materials, and equipment to tax-supported or nonprofit tax-exempt organizations. Amends GS 143-64.02 to expand upon the definition of nonprofit tax exempt organizations to include nonprofits that refurbish computers for donation to low-income students or households. 

Amends GS 135-5, concerning retirement benefits for teachers and state employees, adding new subsection (vvv), providing for cost-of-living increases of 2%.

Amends GS 135-65, concerning retirement benefits for individuals in the consolidated judicial retirement system, adding new subsection (gg), providing for cost-of-living increases of 2%.

Amends GS 120-4.22A, concerning retirement benefits for members of the legislative retirement system, adding new subsection (aa), providing for cost-of-living increases of 2%. 

Appropriates $88 million from the General Fund to the Reserve for Retiree Cost-of-Living Adjustments for the 2017-18 fiscal year and $88 million for the 2018-19 fiscal year to implement the cost-of-living adjustment authorized in this act.

Effective July 1, 2017.

Identical to H 285 filed on 3/8/17.

Enacts new GS 115C-375.10 (Youth suicide awareness and prevention training and risk referral protocol for school personnel).

Directs the State Board of Education in consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, to develop a youth suicide awareness and prevention training program and a model risk referral protocol to provide to school personnel who work directly with K-12 students, consisting of at least two hours of evidence-informed instruction to increase awareness of suicide, identification of risk factors and signs, and information for suicide prevention resources and support. Directs that the model risk referral protocol must provide guidelines on identification of at-risk students, suicide prevention procedures, and referral sources. Directs that the training program and model risk referral protocol shall be periodically reviewed and updated as necessary.

Directs each local school administrative unit to provide the training program and model risk referral protocol, or a locally developed plan that meets the requirements of this statute, to school personnel who work directly with K-12 students at no cost to the employee. Directs that school employees who work directly with K-12 students shall receive the training within 12 months of employment and annually thereafter while employed with that local school board. Authorizes several methods of administering the training.

Authorizes local boards of education to develop local plans that include, at minimum, (1) conveying information on State and national data on suicide rates, methods, and at-risk populations; (2) myths and attitudes about suicide; (3) warning signs and symptoms; (4) identification of at-risk students and steps for referral to support services; (5) protective factors for suicide prevention; and (6) safe messaging to children. Also requires that a local plan shall include at least (1) a plan to include specialized training for specified student support personnel; (2) a safety plan for the school in the event of identification of an at-risk student and suicide or suicide attempt by a student enrolled in the school; (3) designation of a school employee as the school suicide prevention responder; (4) a plan for communication with at-risk students' parents or legal guardians; and (5) a plan for post-intervention for at-risk students, including reentry into the classroom.

Directs each local school administrative unit to report to the Department of Public Instruction on compliance with mandatory training and prevention requirements under this statute by September 15 of each year.

Prevents civil liability for local boards of education and its members, employees, designees, agents, and volunteers, for acts or omissions of acts relating to the training program or protocol required by this statute unless those acts or omissions amount to gross negligence, wanton conduct, or intentional wrongdoing.

Enacts new GS 115C-218.75(g) to require charter schools to provide a youth suicide awareness and prevention training program and risk referral protocol in accordance with new GS 115C-375.10. Directs the charter school to report to the Department of Public Instruction by September 15 on compliance with required training and prevention activities. Prevents civil liability for charter school boards of directors, their members, employees, designees, agents, and volunteers for acts or omissions relating to the training programs and protocols required by this statute unless those acts or omissions amount to gross negligence, wanton conduct, or intentional wrongdoing.

Applies beginning with the 2018-19 school year.