Bill Summary for H 966 (2019-2020)

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Summary date: 

May 3 2019

Bill Information:

View NCGA Bill Details2019-2020 Session
House Bill 966 (Public) Filed Thursday, April 25, 2019
AN ACT TO MAKE BASE BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS FOR CURRENT OPERATIONS OF STATE AGENCIES, DEPARTMENTS, AND INSTITUTIONS.
Intro. by Johnson, Lambeth, Saine, McGrady.

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Bill summary

House amendments to the 3rd edition, as amended, make the following changes.

Part V. General Provisions

Section 5.7 2020 Census Preparation Reserve

Amendment #44 makes clarifying changes to amendment #21, which requires that $400,000 for 2019-20 be transferred from the OSHR Minimum of Market Reserve and $350,000 for 2019-20 be transferred from the Pending Legislation Reserve, to the 2020 Census Preparation Reserve (Reserve) created in this section. Specifies that the specified funds are reduced from those reserves rather than transferred, and that the specified $750,000 appropriated in the Act (rather than transferred to the Reserve) for the Reserve is to be managed by the Office of State Budget and Management and used as previously specified. Makes conforming changes.

Part VII. Public Instruction

Section 7.19 Upstart Virtual Early Learning Pilot Program

Amendment #48 modifies amendment #20 to maintain rather than eliminate Section 7.19, which establishes a three-year virtual early learning pilot program.

Section 7.36 School Safety Grants Programs

Amendment #48 modifies amendment #20, which moved $1 million appropriated by the act to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) for the 2019-20 fiscal year for the virtual early learning pilot (as eliminated) to the students in crisis grants, by changing the amount moved to $1,000. Makes conforming changes.

Part IX-B. Central Management and Support

Section 9B.9 DHHS Vacant Position Elimination Flexibility and Report

Amendment #41 adds a section that allows the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to achieve the savings from vacant position eliminations for each year of the 2019-21 biennium by substituting alternative positions to be eliminated or reducing other operating funds. Requires a report to the specified NCGA committees and division by October 1 of 2019 and 2020 on the actions taken to achieve the budgeted reduction for vacant position eliminations for the fiscal year. Specifies information to be included in the report if alternative positions are eliminated.

Part IX-I. Social Services

Section 9I.16 Funds for Quality Assurance Positions

Amendment #43 adds a section decreasing recurring funds appropriated to the DHHS Division of Health Benefits for Immediate Care facilities, “in Lieu of” Services, for each year of the 2019-21 biennium by $1.5 million and increasing funds to the Division of Social Services by the same amount to provide a 50% match for participating counties to establish new quality assurance positons for child welfare within county departments of social services offices. Sets out the provisions governing allocation of the positions. Requires implementation of a comprehensive continuous quality improvement (CQI) training plan that provides all staff with training on the CQI plan, policies, and requirements that provide clarity regarding staff and stakeholder roles in the process. Makes conforming changes.

Section 9I.16 Annual Report/Certain TANF Expenditures

Amendment #47 directs the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Social Services, to biannually report to the specified NCGA committees and leaders, and post on its website, certain expenditures for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, including the dollar amount and number of transactions assessed or expended out of state and in the state, as specified. Provides for the confidentiality and redaction of personally identifying information of program recipients. Moves $5,000 appropriated each year of the biennium to the Division of Health Benefits to the Division of Social Services to be used for these reporting purposes. 

Part IX-K. DHHS Block Grants

Amendment #40 modifies specified amounts of the schedule for the mental health services block grant funds for the Peer Wellness Centers Pilot for the fiscal biennium. Makes conforming adjustments.

Part XV. Administrative Office of the Courts

Section 15.7 Innovative Court Pilot Project/Raise the Age Administrative Support Funds

Amendment #42 amends Amendment #13 to make the increase in the appropriation to Fund Code 1100 by $130,000 in 2020-21 nonrecurring instead of recurring.

Part XXXVIII. Salaries and Benefits

Section 38.7A Judicial Compensation Changes

Amendment #48 modifies the specified classifications for which salary adjustments are directed to include family court administrators rather than family case coordinators.

Section 38.21 Special Annual Leave

Amendment #39 expands the one-time additional five days of annual leave to be credited to eligible full-time permanent State or community college employees to include full-time permanent employees of a local board of education except any employees paid on the teacher or principle salary schedule on July 1, 2019.

Part XXXIX. Capital

Section 39.2 Capital Improvements and Repairs and Renovations Appropriations

Amendment #37 allocates from the State Capital and Infrastructure Fund a $1.5 million grant for the 2019-20 fiscal year to Fayetteville Cumberland County Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park (a nonprofit organization) to complete the development of the Martin Luther King Jr. Park. Moves $1.5 million allocated to the UNCW-Supplement for Dobo Hall Renovation for the 2019-20 fiscal year, as specified. Makes conforming changes. 

Part XL. Transportation

Section 40.23 Funds to Conduct a Study of Ports and a Supply Chain Analysis for Offshore Wind Energy

Amendment #36 expands the NC Ports Authority study on transportation infrastructure to identify existing assets, current capabilities, and needed investments to assist in providing services for cargo, transportation, and trade, and to identify potential improvements to foster growth of offshore wind supply chain industries in the state, to also include rail networks. Adds the requirement that the NC Ports authority include in its study suggested improvements to the existing statewide rail network to accommodate the shipment of large-scale power generating units and turbines to ports within the State.

Section 40.24 Study/MPO Voting Power Distribution

Amendment #38 requires the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee to study (1) the process used and guidelines followed by the Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Rural Transportation Planning Organizations in determining how to distribute voting power among their voting members, (2) other state laws to determine if and how other states regulate the distribution of voting power among the voting member of Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Regular Transportation Planning Organizations, (3) methods to ensure regional governance under a weighted voting structure, (4) quorum determination by members present instead of by weighted vote, (5) methods to accomplish redesignation in which each municipality has equal voting power, and (6) any other topic or issue the Committee determines to be relevant. Requires a report to the 2020 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

Section 40.24 DOT Salaries

Amendment #45 adds a section requiring that of the funds appropriated to the Highway Fund, Reserves, Transfers, and Other, $2,404,834 for 2019-20 and $4,809,667 for 2020-21 be used to provide funding for an annualized across the board salary increase for Department of Transportation employees that is the greater of 1% or $500, effective January 1, 2020. Makes conforming changes.

Section 40.24 DOT Employee Benefits

Amendment #44 makes a technical correction to amendment #21.