GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

S	1 

SENATE BILL 150

Short Title:  Strategic Planning Authority.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senator Perdue.
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Referred to:  Economic Development.
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February 15, 1993

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO CREATE THE AUTHORITY ON STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR NORTH CAROLINA.
Whereas, the North Carolina economy of the future can provide unparalleled opportunity while maintaining North Carolina's traditional values, if the State pursues the future with clarity of purpose and perseverance; and
Whereas, North Carolina is in the midst of a massive transition created by technological changes, global competition, and new production practices; and
Whereas, in order to maintain employment opportunities, increase income levels, reduce poverty, and generate the public revenues needed to provide public services, North Carolina must increasingly rely on an economy which adds value to its natural resources and provides a diverse mix of products;
Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  Article 9 of Chapter 143B of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Part to read:
   "Part 29.  Authority on Strategic Planning for North Carolina.
"§ 143B-426.45.  Authority on Strategic Planning for North Carolina created.
The Authority on Strategic Planning for North Carolina, hereinafter called the Authority, is created as an independent State agency having the powers provided under this Article.  The Authority is created to shape and pursue a vision and strategy for the State's development, to set measurable standards for accomplishing that vision and strategy, and to monitor the degree to which those standards are met.  In shaping the vision for the State's development, the Authority shall focus on the State's long-term needs and goals and the programs, measures, or other activities that will enable the State to meet those needs and goals.
The Authority shall be located within the Office of the Governor but shall exercise all of its powers, including the power to employ, direct, and supervise all personnel, independently of the Governor, and, notwithstanding any other provision of law, shall be subject to the direction and supervision of the Governor only with respect to the management functions of coordinating and reporting.  The Department of Administration shall provide office space and office equipment to the Authority.
"§ 143B-426.46.  Legislative intent and purpose.
It is the intent of the General Assembly that the Authority be established to create a shared vision for North Carolinians of the State's future; determine the appropriate direction of the State's economy, public services, and environmental quality; identify the steps that need to be taken to achieve that future; and monitor the degree to which those steps are met.  It is the intent of the General Assembly that the Authority hire an eminently qualified executive director and support staff.  It is the further intent of the General Assembly that the Authority consist of members who represent the general public, the business community, and the academic community and that the membership be comprised of both private citizens and elected officials.  The General Assembly intends that the Authority do the following:
(1)	Encourage the discussion and understanding of critical global and national economic trends that will affect the State's economy in the coming decades.
(2)	Formulate and submit to North Carolinians a strategy that describes and explains a vision for North Carolina's economic progress over the next 20 to 30 years.
(3)	Submit to the General Assembly, for its adoption, goals for North Carolina's progress, including measurable indicators of the achievement of those goals.
"§ 143B-426.47.  Membership.
(a)	Voting members. – The Authority shall consist of 23 voting members as follows:  10 members shall be legislators and 13 members shall be at-large members selected from the executive branch of State government and from private and civic sectors, universities, and local governments.  The members appointed to the Authority shall reflect the State's cultural and geographical diversity and shall have demonstrated an interest in the well-being and development of the State.   The members shall be appointed as follows:
(1)	The Speaker of the House shall appoint five members from the House of Representatives and two at-large members.
(2)	The President Pro Tempore shall appoint five members from the Senate and two at-large members.
(3)	The Governor shall appoint two members from the executive branch of State government and seven at-large members who shall not be selected from the executive branch of State government.
Authority members who are either legislators or elected officials from the executive branch shall not be disqualified from completing a term of service on the Authority because they fail to run or are defeated for reelection.
(b)	Terms. – Members shall serve for four-year terms, except initial appointments shall be for terms as follows:
(1)	The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall initially appoint one Representative for a term of two years, two Representatives for a term of three years, and two Representatives for a term of four years.  The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall initially appoint one at-large member for a term of three years, and one at-large member for a term of four years.
(2)	The President Pro Tempore shall initially appoint one Senator for a term of two years, two Senators for a term of three years, and two Senators for a term of four years.  The President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall initially appoint one at-large member for a term of three years, and one at-large member for a term of four years.
(3)	The Governor shall initially appoint one member of the executive branch for a term of three years, and one member of the executive branch for a term of four years.  The Governor shall initially appoint two at-large members for a term of two years, two at-large members for a term of three years, and three at-large members for a term of four years.
(c)	Nonvoting members. – The members of the Council of State, the President of The University of North Carolina, the President of the North Carolina System of Community Colleges, and the Secretaries of each of the following departments shall also serve as nonvoting ex-officio members of the Authority:
(1)	Department of Administration.
(2)	Department of Commerce.
(3)	Department of Correction.
(4)	Department of Crime Control and Public Safety.
(5)	Department of Cultural Resources.
(6)	Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources.
(7)	Department of Human Resources.
(8)	Department of Revenue.
(9)	Department of Transportation.
(d)	Vacancies. – Vacancies created by resignation or otherwise shall be filled by the original appointing authority.
(e)	Chair. – The chair shall be appointed annually by the Governor.
"§ 143B-426.48.  Powers and duties.
The Authority shall have the following powers and duties:
(1)	To develop a vision for the State that addresses the economic, social, cultural, environmental, and other needs and aspirations of the people of North Carolina.
(2)	To develop a strategy to achieve that vision.  The strategy developed by the Authority shall address issues that the Authority determines are necessary and appropriate to the State's future.  The issues to be addressed by the Authority shall include:
a.	Education and work force preparedness.
b.	Welfare of the family and children.
c.	Public and private sector cooperation.
d.	Environmental quality.
e.	Infrastructure.
f.	Any other issues that the Authority deems appropriate.
(3)	To develop and include as part of the strategy a series of goals, for the State's progress over the next two to three decades and a plan for attaining those goals and implementing the strategy to achieve the vision adopted by the Authority.   The goals adopted by the Authority shall include measurable indicators of attainment to aid in determining the extent to which each goal is being achieved.  The implementation plan shall include recommendations for statutory or other changes the Authority deems appropriate, modifications in public fiscal and spending policies, and also recommendations for implementing actions to be carried out by local governments, businesses, private citizens, and other organizations.
(4)	To hold public hearings, public meetings and workshops as needed to ensure the participation of a broad cross section of the State's population in developing the State's vision and strategy.  The Authority shall publicize the public hearings, public meetings, and workshops in each city in which they are held and shall allow interested residents and other individuals to appear and be heard by the Authority.
(5)	To consider any written comments and public testimony relating to the proposed strategy, and to revise that strategy as the Authority considers necessary or appropriate.
(6)	To adopt a final vision and strategy to implement that vision for submission to the General Assembly.
(7) 	To submit to the General Assembly, no later than January 15, 1994, the final adopted strategy, a summary and digest of the comments and public testimony received by the Authority, and the Authority's response to those comments and testimony, if any.
(8)	To prepare, at least once each biennium, a report that describes the State's progress towards the achievement of the Authority's strategy, based on the specific measures the Authority has adopted for measuring the attainment of strategic goals.  The report shall include an analysis of issues and trends of strategic significance and shall propose an agenda that identifies key steps the State should take over the following two years to build for the future of North Carolina.
"§ 143B-426.49.  Additional powers.
The Authority shall have the following additional powers:
(1)	While in the discharge of official duties, to exercise the same powers as a joint committee of the General Assembly to have access to any paper or document, and to compel the attendance of any State official or employee before the Authority or secure any evidence under the provisions of G.S. 120-19.  In addition, the provisions of G.S. 120-19.1 through G.S. 120-19.4 shall apply to the proceedings of the Authority as if it were a joint committee of the General Assembly.
(2)	To apply for and receive gifts and grants from private sources to assist the Authority in fulfilling its duties.
(3)	To appoint an executive director, whose salary shall be fixed by the Authority, to serve at its pleasure.  The executive director or a person designated by the executive director shall appoint, employ, dismiss, and within the limits of available funding, fix the compensation of other employees as considered necessary.  The Authority shall consult with the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations prior to exercising any of the powers granted to the Authority by this subdivision.
(4)	To enter into contracts and exercise all powers necessary or convenient to effect any or all of the purposes and provisions for which the Authority is organized.
"§ 143B-426.50.  Compensation and expenses of members.
The Authority members shall receive no salary for serving but shall receive necessary subsistence and travel expenses in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 120-3.1, 138-5, and 138-6 as applicable.
"§ 143B-426.51.  Reports to Authority.
Each principal department shall submit its annual report to the Authority as provided by G.S. 143A-17.  Any joint committee, committee, subcommittee, or commission established within the legislative branch that reports to the General Assembly biennially shall also provide a copy of the report to the Authority."
Sec. 2.  G.S. 143A-17 reads as rewritten:
"§ 143A-17. Plans and reports.
Each principal department shall submit an annual plan of work to the Governor and the Advisory Budget Commission prior to the beginning of each fiscal year. Each department which plans to include in its budget request for the ensuing fiscal period a request for (i)	the establishment of a new program regardless of the source of the supporting funds, or (ii) the State funding of a program which was previously supported from nonstate sources, shall provide in its annual plan of work measurement criteria for the determination of the  success or failure of each such program requested. Each principal department shall submit an annual report covering programs and activities to the Governor and Advisory Budget Commission at the end of each fiscal year. These plans of work and annual reports shall be made available to the General Assembly and to the Authority on Strategic Planning for North Carolina.  These documents will serve as the base for the development of budgets for each principal department of the State government to be submitted to the Governor, Advisory Budget Commission, and to the appropriations committees of the General Assembly for consideration and approval. The function of the Advisory  Budget Commission under the preceding sentence applies only if the Director of the Budget consults with the Commission in preparation of the budget."
Sec. 3.  Nothing in this act shall be construed to obligate the General Assembly to appropriate funds to implement the provisions of this act.
Sec. 4.  This act is effective upon ratification.