A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to authorize senior resident superior court judges to provide facilities for hearings conducted by the office of administrative hearings.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 150B‑24 reads as rewritten:
"§ 150B‑24.  Venue of hearing.
(a)	The hearing of a contested case shall be conducted:
(1)	In the county in this State in which any person whose property or rights are the subject matter of the hearing maintains his residence;
(2)	In the county where the agency maintains its principal office if the property or rights that are the subject matter of the hearing do not affect any person or if the subject matter of the hearing is the property or rights of residents of more than one county; or
(3)	In any county determined by the administrative law judge in his discretion to promote the ends of justice or better serve the convenience of witnesses.
(b)	Any person whose property or rights are the subject matter of the hearing waives his objection to venue by proceeding in the hearing. 
(c)	To the extent practicable, the senior resident superior court judge may provide suitable facilities for the conduct of hearings under this Article in the county or counties within the judge's district at the time that a hearing is scheduled therein. The senior resident superior court judge may, to the extent the judge determines necessary and practicable, provide or arrange for security at hearings upon the request of an administrative law judge."
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective October 1, 2006.