FILED SENATE
Apr 5, 2021
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
S.B. 534
SESSION 2021 PRINCIPAL CLERK
S D
SENATE BILL DRS45278-MM-7A
Short Title: Legislative Reform Commission. (Public)
Sponsors: Senator Burgin (Primary Sponsor).
Referred to:
1 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
2 AN ACT TO CREATE THE LEGISLATIVE REFORM COMMISSION TO STUDY AND
3 MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING LEGISLATOR TERMS, TERM LIMITS,
4 SESSION LIMITS, AND COMPENSATION.
5 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
6 SECTION 1.(a) There is established the Commission on Legislative Reform
7 (Commission). The Commission shall be composed of eight members of the public appointed as
8 follows:
9 (1) Four by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
10 (2) Four by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
11 No member of the Commission may be an elected official while serving on the
12 Commission.
13 SECTION 1.(b) Each appointing authority shall designate a cochair. The
14 Commission shall meet at any time upon the joint call of the cochairs. A quorum of the
15 Commission shall be a majority of its members. Vacancies on the Commission shall be filled by
16 the appointing authority. Members of the Commission shall receive per diem and allowances as
17 provided in G.S. 138-5 and G.S. 138-6.
18 SECTION 1.(c) The purpose of the Commission is to study and make
19 recommendations regarding modifications to the North Carolina Constitution with regard to:
20 (1) The length of terms for members of the General Assembly.
21 (2) Term limits for members of the General Assembly.
22 (3) Limitations on the length of legislative sessions.
23 (4) Legislative compensation.
24 (5) Legislative per diem and mileage allowances.
25 SECTION 1.(d) As part of the study, the Commission may examine:
26 (1) Other states' laws regarding the length of legislative terms and legislative term
27 limits.
28 (2) The length of North Carolina legislative sessions, regular and extra, for each
29 biennium since 1981.
30 (3) The length of other states' legislative sessions, particularly states with similar
31 populations, and limitations on the length of legislative sessions.
32 (4) The current compensation, per diem, and mileage allowances of members of
33 the General Assembly and how those amounts have changed since 1981.
34 (5) The compensation and allowances of state legislators in other states,
35 particularly states with similar populations, similar session lengths, or both
36 and how those have changed since 1981.
*DRS45278-MM-7A*
 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021
1 (6) Mechanisms for indexing legislative pay and allowances such as cost of living
2 increases, federal states, and compensation of public employees, including
3 teachers.
4 (7) Any other information the Commission deems appropriate.
5 SECTION 1.(e) The School of Government of the University of North Carolina at
6 Chapel Hill shall assist the Commission in its work as follows:
7 (1) Provide meeting space.
8 (2) Provide necessary clerical, administrative, and legal support.
9 (3) Prepare the Commission's report.
10 SECTION 1.(f) The Commission shall report no later than April 15, 2022, to the
11 President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the majority
12 and minority leaders of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, and the chairs of the
13 Appropriations Committees. The report shall contain:
14 (1) Findings related to subdivisions (1) through (7) of subsection (d) of this
15 section.
16 (2) Recommendations regarding amendments to the North Carolina Constitution
17 with regard to subdivisions (1) through (5) of subsection (c) of this section.
18 (3) Any other findings and recommendations the Commission deems appropriate.
19 SECTION 1.(g) The Commission shall terminate upon submission of its report or
20 April 15, 2022, whichever occurs first.
21 SECTION 2. This act is effective when it becomes law.
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