GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2003

H                                                                                                                                                    2

HOUSE BILL 483

Second Edition Engrossed 4/30/03

Short Title:     Change Offensive Place-Names.		(Public)
Sponsors:	Representatives Adams, Jones (Primary Sponsors);  Jeffus and Luebke.
Referred to:	State Government.

March 13, 2003

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT providing for the abrogation of offensive place-names throughout the state.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Article 4 of Chapter 147 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

"§ 147-54.7.  Abrogation of offensive geographical place-names.

(a) The General Assembly finds that certain geographical place-names are offensive and insulting to all of the State's people, history, and heritage. These place-names should be replaced by names that reflect the State's people, history, and heritage without resorting to harmful or offensive stereotypes, names, words, or phrases.

(b) The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Department of Transportation, the Secretary of the Department of Cultural Resources, and the Secretary of the Department of Natural and Economic Resources, shall adopt rules and policies for changing geographical place-names that are offensive and insulting.

(c) The Secretary of State shall coordinate with registers of deeds, local tax officials, and local planning officials to provide for the abrogation of offensive or insulting geographical place-names throughout the State.

(d) All State and local governmental agencies shall make changes to maps and any other reference materials to reflect the changes authorized by this section or by rules adopted pursuant to this section."

SECTION 2.(a)  The geographic place names set forth in this section are deemed to be offensive and insulting:

(1)       Nigger Bay - Currituck County.

(2)       Nigger Head - Clay and Madison Counties.

(3)       Niggerhead Creek - Union County.

(4)       Niggerskull Creek - Jackson County.

(5)       Nigger Skull Mountain - Haywood County.

(6)       Niggerskull Mountain - Jackson County.

(7)       Nigger Spring - Haywood County.

SECTION 2.(b)  By July 1, 2003, the county commissioners of each county listed in subsection (a) of this section shall submit to the Secretary of State a replacement name for each place listed. The Secretary of State may adopt the suggested replacement name or may adopt another suitable replacement name in accordance with rules adopted by the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State shall forward to the United States Board of Geographic Names the recommended replacement names for changes on any federal maps and reference materials that refer to the names and places listed in this section.

SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.