H.B. 913
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
Apr 25, 2024
SESSION 2023 HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK
H D
HOUSE BILL DRH10527-NDa-189
Short Title: DOJ to Study LEO Certification/Onboarding. (Public)
Sponsors: Representative Prather.
Referred to:
1 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
2 AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO SUPPORT A STUDY AND THE DEVELOPMENT
3 OF A REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING LAW ENFORCEMENT
4 CERTIFICATION AND ONBOARDING PROCESSES IN NORTH CAROLINA AND
5 OTHER STATES.
6 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
7 SECTION 1.(a) The Department of Justice, in consultation with the Criminal Justice
8 Education and Training Standards Commission and the Sheriffs' Education and Training
9 Standards Commission, shall study at a minimum each of the following:
10 (1) The current state of law enforcement officer certification in North Carolina,
11 including at a minimum each of the following:
12 a. The average length of time to become certified after beginning the
13 certification process.
14 b. The required minimum standards to become certified.
15 c. The most common reasons why an individual fails to become certified
16 or is disqualified from becoming certified.
17 d. The positive and negative effects the current certification process has
18 on recruitment.
19 (2) The current state of the onboarding process of a law enforcement officer that
20 has become certified, including at a minimum each of the following:
21 a. The average length of time of the onboarding process.
22 b. The required minimum standards of the onboarding process.
23 c. The most common reasons why an individual fails to complete the
24 onboarding process.
25 d. The positive and negative effects the current onboarding process has
26 on recruitment.
27 SECTION 1.(b) The Department of Justice, in consultation with the Criminal Justice
28 Education and Training Standards Commission and the Sheriffs' Education and Training
29 Standards Commission, shall study at a minimum each of the following:
30 (1) The current state of law enforcement officer certification in at least three states
31 of similar population to North Carolina, including at a minimum each of the
32 following:
33 a. The average length of time to become certified after beginning the
34 certification process.
35 b. The required minimum standards to become certified.
*DRH10527-NDa-189*
 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2023
1 c. The most common reasons why an individual fails to become certified
2 or is disqualified from becoming certified.
3 d. The positive and negative effects the current certification process has
4 on recruitment.
5 (2) The current state of the onboarding process of a law enforcement officer that
6 has become certified in each of the three or more states studied in subdivision
7 (1) of this subsection, including at a minimum each of the following:
8 a. The average length of time of the onboarding process.
9 b. The required minimum standards of the onboarding process.
10 c. The most common reasons why an individual fails to complete the
11 onboarding process.
12 d. The positive and negative effects the current onboarding process has
13 on recruitment.
14 SECTION 1.(c) The Department of Justice, in consultation with the Criminal Justice
15 Education and Training Standards Commission and the Sheriffs' Education and Training
16 Standards Commission, shall develop recommendations for the improvement of North Carolina's
17 law enforcement certification process and the onboarding process of its certified law enforcement
18 officers. These recommendations shall focus on steps the State can take to improve recruitment
19 outcomes for all law enforcement agencies within North Carolina employing law enforcement
20 officers certified or onboarded by the State.
21 SECTION 1.(d) No later than March 1, 2025, for its interim report, and March 1,
22 2026, for its final report, the Department of Justice shall report to the Joint Legislative Oversight
23 Committee on Justice and Public Safety regarding its findings and recommendations resulting
24 from the directives imposed upon the Department by this section.
25 SECTION 2.(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of
26 Justice the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in nonrecurring funds for the
27 2024-2025 fiscal year to be used to implement the directives imposed upon the Department by
28 Section 1 of this act.
29 SECTION 2.(b) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the funds
30 appropriated by this act shall not revert until June 30, 2026.
31 SECTION 3. This act becomes effective July 1, 2024.
Page 2 DRH10527-NDa-189