A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT requiring cities to file certified charters and boundary maps and counties to file certified boundary and township maps with the secretary of state.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 160A‑22 reads as rewritten:
"§ 160A‑22.  Map of corporate limits.
(a)	The current city boundaries shall at all times be drawn on a map, or set out in a written description, or shown by a combination of these techniques. This delineation shall be retained permanently in the office of the city clerk. Alterations in these established boundaries shall be indicated by appropriate entries upon or additions to the map or description made by or under the direction of the officer charged with that duty by the city charter or by the council. Copies of the map or description reproduced by any method of reproduction that gives legible and permanent copies, when certified by the city clerk, shall be admissible in evidence in all courts and shall have the same force and effect as would the original map or description. The council may provide for revisions in any map or other description of the city boundaries. A revised map or description shall supersede for all purposes the earlier map or description that it is designated to replace.
(b)	On or before July 1, 2006, the city clerk shall file with the Secretary of State a certified map showing the boundaries of the city as they existed on January 1, 2006. Thereafter, on or before July 1 of the year preceding each decennial federal census, the city clerk shall file with the Secretary of State a certified map showing the boundaries of the city as they existed on January 1 of the year preceding the decennial federal census. All maps required by this subsection shall conform with rules prescribed by the Secretary of State."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 160A‑111 reads as rewritten:
"§ 160A‑111.  Filing certified true copies of charters and charter amendments.
(a)	On or before July 1, 2006, the city clerk shall file with the Secretary of State a certified true copy of the city's charter as it appeared on January 1, 2006. Thereafter, on or before July 1 of the year preceding each decennial federal census, the city clerk shall file with the Secretary of State a certified true copy of the city's charter as it appeared on January 1 of the year preceding the decennial federal census.
(b)	The city clerk shall file a certified true copy of any charter amendment adopted under this Part with the Secretary of State and the Legislative Library."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 153A‑17 reads as rewritten:
"§ 153A‑17.  Existing boundaries.
(a)	The boundaries of each county shall remain as presently established, until changed in accordance with law.
(b)	On or before July 1, 2006, the county manager or, where there is no county manager, the chairman of the board of commissioners, shall file with the Secretary of State a certified map showing the boundaries of the county as they existed on January 1, 2006. Thereafter, on or before July 1 of the year preceding each decennial federal census, the manager or chairman shall file with the Secretary of State a certified map showing the boundaries of the county as they existed on January 1 of the year preceding the decennial federal census. All maps required by this subsection shall conform with rules prescribed by the Secretary of State."
SECTION 4.  G.S. 153A‑19 is amended by adding the following new subsection to read:
§ 153A‑19.  Establishing and naming townships.
…
(d)	On or before July 1, 2006, the county manager or, where there is no county manager, the chairman of the board of commissioners, shall file with the Secretary of State a certified map showing the boundaries and names of all townships within the county on January 1, 2006. Thereafter, or before July 1 of the year preceding each decennial federal census, the manager or chairman shall file with the Secretary of State a certified map showing the boundaries and names of all townships within the county on January 1 of the year preceding the decennial federal census. The manager or chairman shall report changes in township boundaries to the Secretary of State. All maps required by this subsection shall conform with rules prescribed by the Secretary of State."
SECTION 5.  This act is effective when it becomes law.