Section 1 

Amends GS 1-569.17 (witnesses; subpoenas; depositions; discovery), by making clarifying and technical changes.  

Section 2  

Makes technical changes to GS 7B-2204(d). Removes duplicative reference to juvenile justice section so that it is clear that the only agency that can approve a juvenile’s detention in a holdover or detention facility is the Division of Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety (DJJ).   

Section 3  

Modernizes language in the caption of GS 14-113.7A (application of criminal fraudulent property theft article to financial transaction (currently, credit) cards and makes conforming change from credit card to updated defined term financial transaction card in statute.   

Section 4 

Repeals Article 15A of GS Chapter 15 (pertaining to investigation of offenses involving abandonment and nonsupport of children).  

Section 5 

Amends GS 90A-53, concerning qualifications and examination for registration as an environmental health specialist or environmental health specialist intern, as follows. Amends the allowable education and practice experience standards, to now specify among the four options: (1) graduated with a bachelor's or a or postgraduate degree and earned a minimum of 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours in the physical, biological, natural, life, or health sciences and has one or more years of experience in the field of environmental health practice; or (2) graduated with a bachelor's or postgraduate degree in public health and has one or more years of experience in the field of environmental health practice. Make additional technical changes. 

Section 6 

Repeals GS 108A-54.3A(a)(2a) (providing Medicaid coverage for certain caretaker relatives). 

Section 7  

Repeals Article 3 of GS Chapter 110 (pertaining to control over child-caring facilities).  

Section 8  

Modernizes language, makes technical changes, and makes language gender neutral in GS 110-130 (pertaining to paternity or child support actions by designated representatives of county commissioners).  

Section 9 

Amends GS 115C-284, as amended by Section 1(d) of SL 2023-125, as follows. Removes the statutory reference to powers of superintendent as part of hiring process of supervisors and principals by local boards of education. Removes selection of principal by election of the board of education of those administrative units upon recommendation of the superintendent of city schools. Makes conforming changes to indicate that provisions pertaining to the certification of school administrator, the role of the State Board of Education (Board) in the appointment process for supervisory and professional positions, the Board’s power to refine certification and other requirements for principals and assistant principals, outdated language, digital teaching requirements, and certain teaching and education prerequisites required for candidacy to principal have been repealed by SL 2023-125. Makes conforming and technical changes and modernizes language.  

Makes technical changes to GS 115C-299. Removes language requiring teachers in city administrative units to be elected by the local board of education upon recommendation by the superintendent of city schools. 

Repeals GS 115C-315(a) (pertaining to hiring of janitors and maids by local boards of education upon recommendation by the superintendent). Removes outdated language from GS 115C-315(b) and removes reference to the statutory powers of superintendent as part of hiring process of school personnel by local boards of education. 

Section 10  

Amends GS 116-30.2 (concerning appropriations to special responsibility constituent institutions) by correcting a statutory cross-reference and making technical changes. Amends GS 126-85 (protection from retaliation) by correcting a statutory cross-reference and making technical changes. 

Section 11 

Amends GS 116-209.28 (pertaining to administration of scholarship by the Principal Fellows Program) to remove outdated language and update term for the NC Principal Fellows Trust Fund to conform with changes to the program set forth in SL 2022-71. 

Section 12 

Repeals GS 121-42 contained in Article 4, GS Chapter 121 (directing that the article be known as the Conservation and Historic Preservation Agreements Act).  

Section 13 

Makes technical and clarifying changes, removes outdated language, and updates title of firefighter entity Board of Trustees member to the NC Firefighters’ and Rescue Squad Worker’s Pension Fund in GS 128-28 (pertaining to administration and responsibility of the Local Government Retirement System [LGERS]). Makes language gender neutral.  Narrows the power of the actuary designated by the Board of Trustees in GS 128-28(m) to perform other duties required in connection with GS Chapter 128.  

Amends GS 153A-93 (county retirement benefits) and GS 160A-163 (city and town retirement benefits) to update title of firefighter entity to the NC Firefighters’ and Rescue Squad Worker’s Pension Fund. Makes technical and clarifying changes and removes outdated language from GS 153A-93 and GS 160A-163. 

Section 14 

Makes technical change to GS 143-215-107F (prohibiting requirements for control of emissions from new motor vehicles).  

Section 15 

Repeals Article 29A of GS Chapter 143 (the Governor’s Council on Employment of the Handicapped).  

Section 16 

Makes technical change to GS 144-9(b), concerning the disposal of flags. 

Section 17 

Makes technical and organizational changes to GS 160D-1311 (community development programs and activities).  

Section 18 

Retroactive to January 1, 2023, makes the following changes. Repeals Section 9A.1(a) of SL 2022-74 (pertaining to rate adjustment dates for State-County special assistance program rates).  Increases the basic rate of special assistance payment rates from $1,182 per month per resident to $1,285 per month per resident and the enhanced rate from $1,515 per month per residence to $1,647 per resident under GS 108A-42.1.  

Section 19 

Amends SL 2021-180, Section 9A.3A(a) as follows. Removes requirement that the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Aging and Adult Services apply to the Social Security Administration for approval to allow eligible individuals residing in in home living arrangements to qualify for State County Special Assistance under the Social Security Optional State Supplement Program in the same manner as individuals residing in adult care homes or special care units. Amends Section 9A.3A(d) of SL 2021-180, as amended by Section 9A.1(b) of SL 2022-74 to indicate that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved DHHS’s application for Medicaid coverage for individuals residing in in-home living arrangements who qualify for State-County Special Assistance under the Social Security Optional State Supplement Program effective January 1, 2023. Changes the effective date set forth in Section 9A.1.(d) of SL 2022-74 to reflect new effective date of January 1, 2023 (CMS effective date of approval of DHHS application, set forth above).   

Makes conforming changes.  Changes the effective date to being retroactively effective to January 1, 2023.  

Section 20 

Amends Section 9H.15(i) of SL 2023-134, retroactive to October 3, 2023, to change effective date of the legislation’s amendments to: (1) various components of the NC Child Fatality Prevention System (Article 14 of GS Chapter 7B), except for new provisions pertaining to participation in the National Fatality Review Case Reporting System; and (2) GS 7B-2902 (disclosure in child fatality or near fatality cases) to January 1, 2025.