GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1995

S	1 

SENATE BILL 807

Short Title:  Regional Vocational Authorities.	(Public)

─────────────────────────────────────── 
Sponsors: Senator Perdue.

─────────────────────────────────────── 
Referred to:  Children and Human Resources

─────────────────────────────────────── 

April 24, 1995

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT AUTHORIZING COUNTIES TO PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY INITIATIVES THROUGH THE CREATION OF REGIONAL VOCATIONAL SERVICES AUTHORITIES.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  Chapter 153A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article to read:
"ARTICLE 19A.
"Regional Vocational Services Authorities.
"§ 153A-399. Regional vocational services authorities; intent; creation; status of authority.
(a)	A county may join with one or more counties to merge the funding, administration, and the provision of vocational services, training, and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities or other barriers to employment, as defined by federal or State law, through the creation of a regional vocational services authority.  It is the intent of the General Assembly to support local initiatives to provide vocational services, training, and employment opportunities which are responsive to the needs of citizens of the State by authorizing counties to participate in regional vocational services authorities.
(b)	A regional vocational services authority shall be created by the county boards of commissioners of each county to be a part of the regional authority upon their adoption of concurrent resolutions approving the operating bylaws of the regional authority.  The boards of commissioners of participating counties may adopt other governing documents deemed necessary by the participating counties, including any interlocal agreement entered into pursuant to Article 20 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes.  Before approving participation in a regional vocational services authority, the board of commissioners of each county to be a part of the regional authority shall hold a public hearing with notice published at least 10 days before the hearing.
(c)	A regional vocational services authority created pursuant to this Article is a body politic and corporate and a local political subdivision of the State.
"§ 153A-399.1.  Structure of regional board of directors.
(a)	The regional vocational services authority shall be governed by a board of directors comprised of no less than 11 members and no more than 25 members. The size of the regional board may be changed from time to time by agreement of the boards of county commissioners of the counties participating in the regional authority.
(b)	The members of the board of directors of a regional vocational services authority shall be appointed by the board of commissioners of each participating county in accordance with the bylaws of the regional authority.  The regional board shall include representatives from the fields of education, local government, business and industry, and banking and from the media. The terms of members of the regional board shall be as designated in the bylaws of the regional authority.  A member of the regional board may be removed, with or without cause, by the entity that appointed the member to the board or as otherwise provided by the bylaws of the regional authority.
(c)	The regional board shall include at least one county commissioner from each county participating in the regional authority. The terms of county commissioners serving on a regional board are concurrent with their terms as county commissioners.
"§ 153A-399.2.  Powers and duties of regional board; property and operations of regional authority.
(a)	The board of directors of the regional vocational services authority shall develop and implement policies necessary for the administration and operation of the authority and shall have the powers necessary for the administration of the affairs of the authority and to carry out the purposes of the authority.  All corporate powers of the regional authority, except those specified, granted, or reserved for joint action of the participating counties, by statute or pursuant to the bylaws of the regional authority, shall be vested in the board of directors of the regional authority.
(b)	The legal title to all real property provided by a county for use by the regional authority shall be identified as and shall remain the property of that county.
(c)	Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, the regional authority may receive and its board of directors shall administer any contributions or bequests of money and other property, real or personal, which shall be used by the authority for the purposes of carrying out its vocational services, training, and employment opportunity program.
(d)	The regional authority shall be financed by the sale of program services to State, federal, and private rehabilitation programs, training and employment opportunity contracts as provided under the federal Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act, community support, and by participating counties.  The regional authority may accept and spend any other federal funds that from time to time may be made available.
(e)	Subject to provisions of G.S. 159-189, the board of directors of a regional authority may, on behalf of the regional authority, incur short-term debt, purchase and lease personal and real property, pledge and sell the property, and make contracts and agreements in prosecution of the purposes and operations of the regional authority."
Sec. 2.  Chapter 159 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article to read:
"ARTICLE 12A.
"Borrowing by Regional Vocational Services Authorities.
"§ 159-189.  Borrowing authority.
A regional vocational services authority created pursuant to Article 19A of Chapter 153A of the General Statutes, and having as its purpose to provide vocational services, training, and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities or other barriers to employment, shall have authority to incur short-term debt and to execute and deliver obligations for the repayment thereof and to encumber its property for the purpose of securing any such obligation, and to execute and deliver such mortgages, deeds of trust, and other instruments as are necessary or proper for such purpose; provided, that such obligations shall be repayable only from the revenues of such authority.
Insofar as the provisions of this section are not consistent with the provisions of any other section or law, public or private, the provisions of this section shall be controlling."
Sec. 3.  This act is effective upon ratification.