Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

H.B. 3
                          GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
                                                                                              Jan 27, 2021
                                      SESSION 2021                                      HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK
     H                                                                                                 D
                                   HOUSE BILL DRH40011-LU-14A
     Short Title:   Voter Initiative for Beaufort County.                                         (Local)
     Sponsors:      Representative Kidwell.
     Referred to:
                                      A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT TO PROVIDE THE VOTERS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY A RIGHT TO PETITION
      FOR CHANGES TO THE STRUCTURE OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF
      COMMISSIONERS.
 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
              SECTION 1. Part 4 of Article 4 of Chapter 153A of the General Statutes is amended
 by adding a new section to read:
 "§ 153A-60.1. Alteration by voter initiative.
      The people may initiate a referendum on proposed alterations authorized by this Part. An
 initiative petition shall bear the signatures and resident addresses of a number of qualified voters
 of the county equal to at least ten percent (10%) of the whole number of voters who are registered
 to vote in the county according to the most recent figures certified by the State Board of Elections
 or 3,000, whichever is less. The petition shall, with reference to the pertinent provisions of
 G.S. 153A-58, contain the precise text of the resolution necessary to implement the proposed
 changes. The petition may not propose changes in the alternative, or more than one integrated set
 of alterations. Upon receipt of a valid initiative petition, the county board of elections shall call
 a special election on the question of adopting the alterations proposed therein and shall give
 public notice of the special election in accordance with G.S. 163-287. The date of the special
 election shall be the date of the next countywide election, whether primary, general, or special,
 held more than 90 days after receipt of the petition. If a majority of the votes cast in the special
 election are in favor of the proposed changes, the resolution is adopted. Alterations adopted under
 this section shall continue in force for at least two years after the beginning of the term of office
 of the officers elected under the new manner of election. No initiative petition may be filed (i)
 within one year and six months following the effective date of a resolution adopting alterations
 pursuant to this Part, nor (ii) within one year and six months following the date of any election
 on alterations that were defeated by the voters.
      The restrictions imposed by this section on filing initiative petitions shall apply only to
 petitions concerning the same subject matter.
      Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the submission of more than one
 proposition for alterations on the same ballot so long as no proposition offers a different plan
 under the same option as another proposition on the same ballot."
              SECTION 2. This act applies to Beaufort County only.
              SECTION 3. This act is effective when it becomes law.
                                   *DRH40011-LU-14A*
Statutes affected: 
Edition 2: 115C-37.1