A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT authorizing community colleges in low‑wealth counties to continue to carry forward certain funds.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 115D‑31.3 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(j)	Use of Funds in Low‑Wealth Counties. – Funds retained by colleges or distributed to colleges pursuant to this section may be used to supplement local funding for maintenance of plant if the college does not receive maintenance of plant funds pursuant to G.S. 115D‑31.2, and if the county in which the main campus of the community college is located:
(1)	Is designated as a Tier 1 or Tier 2 county in accordance with G.S. 105‑129.3;
(2)	Had an unemployment rate of at least two percent (2%) above the State average, or greater than seven percent (7%), whichever is higher, in the prior calendar year; and
(3)	Is a county whose wealth, as calculated under the formula for distributing supplemental funding for schools in low‑wealth counties, is eighty percent (80%) or less of the State average.
Funds may be used for this purpose only after all local funds appropriated for maintenance of plant have been expended."
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective June 30, 2006.