A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT appropriating funds for a study of the LICENSING of PROPRIETARY SCHOOLS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Community Colleges System Office the sum of forty thousand dollars ($40,000) for the 2005‑2006 fiscal year.  These funds shall be used to hire an outside consultant  to study the role of the Community Colleges System Office in licensing proprietary schools.  In the course of the study, the consultant shall consider whether:
(1)	The licensing of proprietary schools should be separate from the Community Colleges System Office;
(2)	The licensing authority for proprietary schools should be granted additional authority to investigate and enforce the licensing requirements;
(3)	Students are adequately protected from financial loss when a proprietary school closes; and
(4)	The licensing of proprietary schools should be self‑supporting.
The Community Colleges System Office shall report the results of this study to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations and the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee prior to January 1, 2006.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2005.