Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

H.B. 1044
                          GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
                                                                                               May 2, 2024
                                      SESSION 2023                                       HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK
     H                                                                                                  D
                                    HOUSE BILL DRH10557-NIa-183
     Short Title:   County Tier Designation Study Bill.                                           (Public)
     Sponsors:      Representative Johnson.
     Referred to:
                                      A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT TO DIRECT THE NORTH CAROLINA POLICY COLLABORATORY TO STUDY
     THE EFFECTS OF VARIOUS PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE COUNTY TIER
     DESIGNATION SYSTEM.
 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
             SECTION 1.(a) The North Carolina Policy Collaboratory at the University of North
 Carolina at Chapel Hill (the "Collaboratory") shall study the potential effects of the changes
 outlined in this act on the county tier designation system under G.S. 143B-437.08.
             SECTION 1.(b) The study shall focus on the following proposed changes to the
 county tier designation system under G.S. 143B-437.08:
             (1)      Changing the criteria used to rank counties.
             (2)      Changing the way in which tier designations are assigned.
             (3)      Changing the time frame in which counties are ranked.
             SECTION 1.(c) The study shall evaluate the impact of the proposed changes listed
 in subsection (b) of this section on the following:
             (1)      The rankings of all 100 counties.
             (2)      Programs that use the tier designation system for their administration.
             (3)      The ease of doing business in the State.
             SECTION 1.(d) The Collaboratory shall consult with the following agencies to
 conduct the study required by this act:
             (1)      The Department of Commerce.
             (2)      The Department of Health and Human Services.
             (3)      The Department of Public Instruction.
             SECTION 1.(e) The study shall evaluate whether the proposed changes listed in
 subsection (b) of this section:
             (1)      Align with the State's economic development goals.
             (2)      Use current, reliable, timely and high-quality data.
             (3)      Implement a methodology that is easy to understand.
             (4)      Accurately identify areas of distress.
             SECTION 2. No later than December 31, 2024, the Collaboratory shall submit a
 preliminary report of the results of the study required by this act to the Joint Legislative Oversight
 Committee on Economic Development and Global Engagement ("EDGE") and the Fiscal
 Research Division ("FRD"). No later than December 1, 2025, the Collaboratory shall submit a
 final report of the results of the study required by this act to EDGE and FRD.
                                  *DRH10557-NIa-183*
    General Assembly Of North Carolina                                              Session 2023
             SECTION 3. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Collaboratory the
 sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2024-2025 fiscal
 year for the purpose of conducting the study required by this act.
             SECTION 4. This act becomes effective July 1, 2024.
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