A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to authorize the legislative research commission to study current debt collection practices in order to determine how to minimize mistakes in correctly identifying debtors.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The Legislative Research Commission shall study current debt collection practices in North Carolina in order to determine how to strengthen those practices for the purpose of minimizing mistakes in accurately and fully identifying debtors and to determine what remedies should be available for persons wrongly identified as debtors. The study may consider debt collection practices in other states and any proposals in other states to address problems in correctly identifying debtors when collecting and reporting debts. 
SECTION 2.  The Legislative Research Commission may report its findings and recommendations to the 2004 Regular Session of the 2003 General Assembly and shall submit a final report of its findings and recommendations, including any legislative proposals, to the 2005 General Assembly. 
SECTION 3.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the General Assembly for the Legislative Research Commission the sum of twenty‑five thousand dollars ($25,000) for the 2003‑2004 fiscal year and the sum of twenty‑five thousand dollars ($25,000) for the 2004‑2005 fiscal year for the costs of conducting the study authorized by this act.
SECTION 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2003.