A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT authorizing the legislative research commission to study the FEASIBILITY of the state providing family leave for employees and state policies relating to the voluntary sick leave bank for public SCHOOL employees.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The Legislative Research Commission may:
(1)	Evaluate the status of the State's voluntary sick leave bank for public school employees.
(2)	Consider the efficacy of changes in policy designed to make the current sick leave bank more "employee friendly."
(3)	Study sick leave banks and other shared leave programs in other states.
(4)	Evaluate the need for a sick leave bank for teachers and State employees beyond the current voluntary program.
(5)	Study the feasibility of the State providing family leave for employees including paid leave to care for a newborn, newly adopted, or foster child and paid leave due to a serious personal or family member's health problem. In the course of the study, the Commission shall consider laws from other states regarding (i) family leave, (ii) temporary disability insurance programs that provide family leave, (iii) family leave insurance programs, and (iv) consider additional sources of sick days for the sick leave bank.
(6)	Review any other matter that the Commission finds relevant to its charge.
(7)	Report to the 2007 General Assembly.
SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the General Assembly the sum of twenty‑five thousand dollars ($25,000) for the 2006‑2007 fiscal year to fund the work of the Commission.
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2006.