GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1989

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 1666

Short Title:  Education Study Commission.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives Warren; Anderson, Barnhill, Blue, Bowman, Burke, Church, J. Crawford, B. Ethridge, Fletcher, Foster, Gist, Greenwood, Holmes, S. Hunt, H. Hunter, R. Hunter, Hurley, Lilley, Lineberry, Locks, McLaughlin, Mills, Nye, Perdue, Redwine, Robinson, Rogers, Stewart, Warner, and Wicker.
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Referred to:  Rules.
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May 4, 1989

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE BLUE RIBBON STUDY COMMISSION ON EDUCATION AND TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THE STUDY.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  There is established the Education Study Commission.  The Commission shall be composed of 16 members, as follows:
(1)	The Superintendent of Public Instruction, or his designee;
(2)	The Chairman of the State Board of Education, or his designee;
(3)	The Chairman of the State Board of Community Colleges, or his designee;
(4)	The President of the Community College System, or his designee;
(5)	The Chairman of the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, or his designee;
(6)	The President of The University of North Carolina, or his designee;
(7) 	Three members appointed by the Governor;
(8)	Three members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate;
(9)	Three members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and
(10)	One representative of North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry.
Sec. 2. The President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall designate one of his appointees  as cochairman and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate one of his appointees as cochairman.
Sec. 3.  When a vacancy occurs in the membership of the Commission the vacancy shall be filled by the same appointing officer who made the initial appointment. All initial appointments shall be made within one calendar month from the effective date of this act.  The Commission shall have its initial meeting no later than October 1, 1989.
Sec. 4. The Commission shall:
(1)	Review the capital needs of all public educational institutions including the University System, the Community College System, and the public schools, including the need for repairs and renovations;
(2)	Consider ways the systems could work together to reduce the amount of remediation that is done in the community colleges and the universities.
(3)	Examine the salary schedules for the universities, the community colleges, and the public schools;
(4)	Consider ways the community colleges could assist the public schools with the dropout problem;
(5)	Examine current cooperative programs among the systems and consider ways to enhance concurrent enrollment programs;
(6)	Consider ways to improve the joint use of facilities, equipment, and faculty;
(7)	Consider ways the systems could work jointly to increase the number of high school graduates who continue on to either system of higher education;
(8)	Consider ways to more closely articulate the curriculums, especially in the technical and vocational areas, of the public schools and the community colleges; and
(9)	Recommend both short range and long range funding solutions for the issues it studies.
Sec. 5. The Commission shall submit a final report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly on or before the first day of the 1991 Session of the General Assembly by filing the report with the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.  Upon filing its final report, the Commission shall terminate.
Sec. 6. The Commission, while in the discharge of official duties, may exercise all the powers provided for under the provisions of G.S. 120-19, and G.S. 120-19.1 through G.S. 120-19.4.  The Commission may meet at any time upon the joint call of the cochairmen.  The Commission may meet in the Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building.
Sec. 7.  Members of the Commission who are legislators shall receive subsistence and travel expenses at the rates set forth in G.S. 120-3.1.  Members of the Commission who are officials or employees of the State shall receive travel allowances at the rate set forth in G.S. 138-6.  Other members of the Commission shall be paid per diem and allowances at the rates set forth in G.S. 138-5.
Sec. 8. The Commission may contract for professional, clerical, or consultant services as provided by G.S.120-32.02.  The Legislative Services Commission, through the Legislative Administrative Officer, shall assign professional staff to assist in the work of the Commission.  The House of Representatives' and the Senate's Supervisor of Clerks shall assign clerical staff to the Commission upon the direction of the Legislative Services Commission.  The expenses relating to clerical employees shall be borne by the Commission.
Sec. 9. All State departments and agencies and local governments and their subdivisions shall furnish the Commission with any information in their possession or available to them.
Sec. 10. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the General Assembly $50,000 for the 1989-90 fiscal year, and $25,000 for the 1990-91 fiscal year for the expenses of the Commission.
Sec. 11. This act shall become effective July 1, 1989.