House committee substitute amends the 3rd edition as follows. Adds the following.

Amends GS 7A-30 to deem decisions of the Court of Appeals upon review of any order appealed pursuant to GS 7B-1001(a), as amended (enumerates final orders in juvenile matters that have a right of appeal directly to the Court of Appeals) only appealable to the Supreme Court pursuant to GS 7A-31, which provides parameters for discretionary review by the Supreme Court. Makes conforming, clarifying, and organizational changes.

Enacts GS 7A-343(16), adding to the duties of the Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts (Director). Requires the Director to submit an annual report of appeals of termination of parental rights cases, transmitted by February 1 of each year to the Chief Justice and the NCGA. Lists required content of the report regarding the number of cases properly filed with the Court of Appeals, the dates notice of appeal and record were filed with the Court of Appeals, the date the Court of Appeals issued a final opinion for each case, the number of cases heard by the Supreme Court and the dates the record is received and a final opinion is issued by the Supreme Court, and the average age of the cases measured by the date of notice of appeal filed and the date the record was filed for both courts. 

Senate committee substitute amends the 1st edition as follows. 

Modifies the proposed changes to GS 7B-1001(a) regarding appeals of right from certain orders concerning juvenile matters. Rather than eliminating the right to appeal directly to the Supreme Court for orders eliminating reunification as a permanent plan that satisfy three procedural conditions under subdivision (a1)(2) with no comparable replacement provision for such appeals, eliminates the right to appeal directly to the Supreme Court under subdivision (a1)(2) and creates a right of appeal directly to the Court of Appeals under new subdivision (a)(8) for such orders that satisfy three procedural conditions identical to those in existing law for orders that can be appealed directly to the Supreme Court. Now requires the Court of Appeals, rather than the Supreme Court, to review the order eliminating reunification together with an appeal of the order terminating parental rights for appeals filed pursuant to new subdivision (a)(8). Maintains that the order terminating parental rights must be vacated if the order eliminating reunification is vacated. Makes conforming organizational changes. Applies to appeals filed on or after October 1, 2021.