AN ACT TO INCREASE THE DAMAGE AMOUNTS ON DEFINED MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 58‑36‑75(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	The subclassification plan promulgated pursuant to G.S. 58‑36‑65(b) may provide for separate surcharges for major, intermediate, and minor accidents. A "major accident" is an at‑fault accident that results in either (i) bodily injury or death or (ii) only property damage of three thousand dollars ($3,000) or more. An "intermediate accident" is an at‑fault accident that results in only property damage of more than one thousand eight hundred dollars ($1,800) but less than three thousand dollars ($3,000). A "minor accident" is an at‑fault accident that results in only property damage of one thousand eight hundred dollars ($1,800) or less. The subclassification plan may also exempt certain minor accidents from the Facility recoupment surcharge. The Bureau shall assign varying Safe Driver Incentive Plan point values and surcharges for bodily injury in at‑fault accidents that are commensurate with the severity of the injury, provided that the point value and surcharge assigned for the most severe bodily injury shall not exceed the point value and surcharge assigned to a major accident involving only property damage."
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective January 1, 2004, and applies to accidents occurring on and after that date.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 29th day of May, 2003.

	s/	 Beverly E. Perdue
	 President of the Senate

	s/	 Richard T. Morgan
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives

	s/	 Michael F. Easley
	 Governor

Approved 11:30 p.m. this 4th day of June, 2003