House committee substitute to the 1st edition makes the following changes.

Section 1

Adds new Section 1(a) to amend Section 1 of SL 1969-874, as amended, as follows. Specifies that Catawba County Board of Education (Board) will consist of seven members elected to staggered four-year terms. Deletes outdated language. Amends Section 2 of SL 1969-874, as amended, as follows. Deletes outdated language. Makes conforming changes to account for amended Section 1 of SL 1969-874. Deletes proposed language from section 6.1 that provided for filling vacancies for Board members elected on a nonpartisan basis in 2020 and 2022 by appointment of remaining Board members until the next Board election, so that the remainder of the unexpired term would filled by election. Amends section 6.1 to state that all vacancies on the Board will be filled pursuant to GS 115C-37.1 (pertaining to vacancies in offices of county boards elected on a partisan basis). Amends Section 1(g) [was, 1(f)] of the act to provide that any vacancy on the Board for a member elected in 2020 and 2022 will be filled by appointment by the remaining members of the Board.

Makes other technical, conforming, and clarifying changes.  

Section 2

Adds new Section 2(a) to amend Section of SL 1971-930 as follows.  Removes outdated language. Specifies that the Hickory City Board of Education (Hickory Board) will consist of seven member elected to staggered four-year terms. Deletes language in Section 3 specifying that registration and the election are to be held and conducted in line with laws, rules, and regulations applicable to County elections.  Adds language that specifies, except as provided by the act, the election will be conducted in accordance with the applicable provisions of GS Chapters 115C (pertaining to Boards of Education) and 163 (pertaining to elections and election laws). Amends residency requirements for Hickory Board candidates, to also require any candidate who is filing for a seat representing a ward to reside within that ward.  Amends Section 7 to no longer require that beginning in 2023, seats on the Hickory City be filled by nomination in the primaries and by election in the general elections. Amends Section 10 to require that all vacancies on the Hickory Board be filled in accordance with GS 115C-37.1, specifying that for the purposes of that section, the Hickory Board is considered a county board of education. Provides that any vacancy on the Hickory Board for a member elected in 2019 or 2021 will be filled by appointment by the remaining members of the Hickory Board. 

Makes other technical, conforming, and clarifying changes.  

Section 3

Amends SL 1935-200, as amended, as follows. Deletes the specified staggering of the terms. Deletes requirement that the Town of Conover and the City of Newton provide separate ballots for each of their candidates for the Newton-Conover City Board of Education (City Board).  Amends residency requirements for City Board candidates, requiring all candidates to be qualified voters residing within the Newton-Conover Administrative School Unit in the district for the seat apportioned for that district. (Was, just qualified voter residing within the Newton-Conover Administrative School Unit.) Adds that members serve until successors are elected and qualified. Deletes requirement that City Board elect a chair at their first meeting each year; instead just provides for the annual election of a chair. Requires that all vacancies on the City Board be filled in accordance with GS 115C-37.1, specifying that for the purposes of that section, the Board is considered a county board of education. Provides that any vacancy on the City Board for a member elected in 2019 or 2021 will be filled by appointment by the remaining members of the City Board at the time of the vacancy.

Makes other technical, conforming, and clarifying changes.  

Section 4

Amends GS  115C-37.1 to add the Hickory Board and the City Board to the list of entities covered by the statute, effective December 1, 2023. 

Deletes poposed GS 115C-37.2.

Makes other organizational, technical, conforming, and clarifying changes.