Senate committee substitute to the 2nd edition makes the following changes. 

Deletes amendment to GS 115D-1(b) which would have declared the President of the NC Community Colleges System (President) is the chief administrative officer and has executive authority over the Community Colleges System office. Deletes changes to definitions in GS 115D-2 that would have added and defined the term President; makes conforming changes throughout by removing provisions related to the President. 

Deletes amendment to GS 115D-3, which would have placed the Community Colleges System Office (CCSO) under the direction of the President instead of the State Board. Deletes amendments to GS 115D-4.1, which would have changed the recipient of the report on the academic performance of transfer students to require the report to be made to the System Office instead of the State Board and which would have required the President instead of the State Board to review the reports and determine if transfer students are performing adequately. Deletes amendments to GS 115D-5 which would have given the President the power to execute policies adopted by the State Board. Deletes new GS 115D-5.3 which would have allowed community college courses for teaching profession through residency licensure and the Motorcycle Safety Instruction Program, and that would have allowed community colleges to teach curriculum courses at any time during the year, including the summer term. Deletes amendments GS 115D-6 that would have required the President to find the already listed conditions before the State Board may withdraw or withhold State funds.

Amends new GS 115D-6.1 to delete the required contract term that the President must review each contract or contract renewal and make recommendations to the State Board for approval or disapproval and provision allowing the President to dismiss an institutional president or chief administrative officer for cause. Deletes the process for the President to approve a person selected by a local board as president or chief administrative officer. Makes conforming change. Makes conforming and technical changes to GS 115D-20 (powers and duties of trustees) to account for new GS 115D-6.1.

Deletes amendments to GS 115D-6.5 that would have required the President to make findings concerning noncompliance by a board of trustees, and required reporting those findings to the State Board when a board of trustees has failed to or refused to comply. Deletes amendments to GS 115D-9 that would have given the President, instead of the State Board, power to take specified actions with respect to designing, construction, repair, or renovation of property of the System requiring the expenditure of $4 million or less.

Narrows the scope of the individuals whose actions are not subject to judicial review for certain actions in new GS 115D-10 specifying that only actions taken by the State Board (was, State Board and President) affecting a local board of trustees or a person elected as president or chief administrative officer of an institution under the following are not subject to judicial review: GS 115D-6, GS 115D-6.1, GS 115D-6.5, and GS 115D-19.

Deletes changes to GS 115D-11.6 (Apprenticeship Council). Deletes changes to GS 115D-15 that would have required prior approval from the President, instead of the System Office, before a board of trustees could convey a right-of-way or easement for highway construction or for utility installations or modifications. Deletes amendments to GS 115D-19 that would have changed the process for the removal of a member of a board of trustees of an institution. Deletes new GS 115D-19.1, which would have allowed a college president to be dismissed for any of the causes outlined in the mandatory contract terms adopted by the State Board. Deletes amendments to GS 115D-20 that would have changed the the powers of the trustees of each institution concerning the election of a president or chief administrative officer. Deletes GS 115D-33, which would have made the President, instead of the State Board, responsible for proving funds for the establishment and operation of an institution have been approved by voters before recommending approval to the State Board. Deletes amendments to GS 115D-72, which would have deleted the requirement that the Motorcycle Safety Instruction Program be implemented through the CCSO at institutions that choose to provide the program.

Amends GS 115D-5 by adding new subdivision (b3), which specifies that no course of instruction will be offered by any community college at State expense or partial State expense without the approval of the State Board.

Amends GS 115D-12 provisions pertaining to trustees elected to the Board of Trustees by county officials. Now specifies that those members may be elected by the board of commissioners of the county in which the main campus of the institution is located, one of whom may be a county commissioner. In addition, each board of commissioners of any other county in the administrative area that provides plant funds to the institution must elect two additional trustees to the board, one of whom may be a county commissioner.

Amends GS 115D-13 to require each local board of trustees to submit certain information to the Legislative Library of the NCGA by August 1 each year.

Repeals SL 2014-73 (authorizing two county commissioners to serve on the board of Durham Technical College) and Section 2 of SL 2015-252 (pertaining to the composition of community college boards of trustees). 

Makes organizational changes and conforming changes to the act's long title.