EARLY VOTING SITES/HELENE COUNTIES. (NEW)

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View NCGA Bill Details2023-2024 Session
Senate Bill 132 (Local) Filed Monday, February 20, 2023
AN ACT TO REQUIRE OR AUTHORIZE THE ADDITION OF EARLY VOTING SITES IN CERTAIN COUNTIES FOR THE NOVEMBER 2024 ELECTION.
Intro. by Hanig.

Status: Ch. SL 2024-52 (Oct 24 2024)

SOG comments (2):

Long title change

House committee substitute to the 1st edition changed the long title. Original title was AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE BERTIE COUNTY TO LEVY AN OCCUPANCY TAX.

Long title change

Conference report to the 2nd edition changed the long title. Previous title was AN ACT TO ADD CERTAIN DESCRIBED PROPERTY TO THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE CITY OF HIGH POINT.

 

Bill History:

S 132/S.L. 2024-52

Bill Summaries:

  • Summary date: Oct 25 2024 - View Summary

    AN ACT TO REQUIRE OR AUTHORIZE THE ADDITION OF EARLY VOTING SITES IN CERTAIN COUNTIES FOR THE NOVEMBER 2024 ELECTION. SL 2024-52. Enacted October 24, 2024. Effective October 24, 2024.


  • Summary date: Oct 24 2024 - View Summary

    Conference report replaces the 2nd edition in its entirety with the following.

    Applicable only to Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, and Yancey counties, as follows. 

    Requires, by no later than Tuesday, October 29, 2024, and until Saturday, November 2, 2024, for each of those counties’ board of elections to open at least one early voting site for every 30,000 registered voters, or any portion thereof, in that county. Directs that the number of registered voters should be determined by the voter registration file posted on the State Board of Elections’ (SBE) website dated October 19, 2024. Specifies that the act should not be construed to overrule a county’s plan of implementation that already complies with the above requirement. Allows counties already in compliance to add additional sites if it feels it is the best interest of the voters. If the county board of elections determines its current plan for implementation does not provide at least one early voting site for every 30,000 registered voters, or any portion thereof, requires that additional sites will be added as necessary to meet the required minimum number of early voting site locations. Lists four requirements for early voting sites to comply with the act, including (1) the county board of elections must seek to provide geographic diversity in locations; (2) the hours of operation are those established for the county board of elections office or its reasonable proximate substitute under the plan for implementation as of October 17, 2024; (3) any open meeting held to comply with the act, and during which no other matter is considered, may be properly noticed by posting of the notice at least 12 hours before the time of the meeting; and (4) all votes of the county board of elections required under the act must be by bipartisan majority.

    Specifies that county board of elections should try to use buildings supported by tax revenues, but that they only have to give 24 hours’ notice to any to any State, county, city, local school board, or other entity in control of the building that is supported or maintained, in whole or in part, by or through tax revenues that the building will be used as an early voting site through November 2, 2024.

    Provides for voter education of additional early voting sites. Directs county boards of elections to immediately contact SBE if they cannot secure staff for early voting sites.

    Effective when the act becomes law and applies only for the November 2024 elections.

    Amends the act’s titles.


  • Summary date: Aug 16 2023 - View Summary

    House committee substitute to the 1st edition replaces the previous edition with the following. 

    Adds to the corporate limits of the City of High Point the property "Samet Drive," recorded in the Guilford County Register of Deeds office, Plat Book 34, Page 37. Property is subject to municipal taxes according to GS 160A-58.10.

    Makes conforming changes to the act's titles.


  • Summary date: Feb 20 2023 - View Summary

    Allows the Bertie County Board of Commissioners (Board) to levy a room occupancy tax of up to 6% of the gross receipts derived from the rental of an accommodation within the county that is subject to sales tax imposed by the State under GS 105-164.4(a)(3) (state sales tax for rentals of an accommodation) in addition to any other state or local sales tax. Requires that the new local tax be levied, administered, collected and repealed under the provisions set forth in GS 153A-155 (uniform provisions for room taxes).

    Sets forth the following definitions. Net proceeds means gross proceeds less the cost to the county of administering  and collecting the tax, as determined by the finance officer, not to exceed 3% of the $500,000 of gross proceeds collected each year and 1% of the remaining gross receipts collected each year. Promote travel and tourism means to advertise or market an area or activity, publish and distribute pamphlets and other materials, conduct market research, or engage in similar promotional activities that attract tourists or business travelers to the area; includes administrative expenses incurred in engaging in the listed activities.  Tourism-related expenditures means expenditures that, in the judgment of the Bertie County Tourism Development Authority (Authority), are designed to increase the use of  accommodations, meeting facilities, or convention facilities in the county or to attract tourists or business travelers to the county; includes tourism-related capital expenditures.

    Requires Bertie County to remit the net proceeds of the occupancy tax to the Authority on a quarterly basis. Requires the Authority to use at least two-thirds of the funds to promote travel and tourism and use the remainder for tourism-related expenditures in the county.

    Requires the Board to create the Authority along with its resolution adopting the local room occupancy tax. Stipulates that the Authority is a public authority under the Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control Act. Requires the Board’s resolution to provide for the membership of the Authority, including members’ terms of office, and for the filling of vacancies. Requires at least 1/3 of the members to be individuals who are affiliated with businesses that collect tax in the county, and at least 1/2 of the members to be individuals who are currently active in the promotion of travel and tourism in the county. Requires the Board to designate one member of the Authority as chair and authorizes the Board to determine what compensation, if any, to be paid to members of the Authority. Requires the Authority to meet at the call of the chair and to adopt rules of procedure to  govern its meetings. Designates the Finance Officer for Bertie County as the ex officio finance officer of the Authority. Requires the Authority to expend the net proceeds of the new local room occupancy tax for promoting travel and tourism and for tourism-related expenditures. Sets quarterly reporting requirements for the Authority as well as a report at the end of the fiscal year to the Board on its receipts and expenditures for the preceding quarter and year in such detail as the Board requires. 

    Amends GS 153A-155 to add Bertie County to the list of counties to which the law applies.