A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT creating the legislative study Commission on correctional officer compensation and appropriating funds for that purpose.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  There is created the Legislative Study Commission on Correctional Officer Compensation (Commission).  The Commission shall consist of 12 voting members appointed as follows:
(1)	Six members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to include:
a.	Four members of the House of Representatives.
b.	One person who is a retired correctional officer.
c.	One member of the general public.
(2)	Six members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, to include:
a.	Four members of the Senate.
b.	One person in the field of human resources management.
c.	One member of the general public.
The State Personnel Director, or that officer's designee, shall serve as an ex officio nonvoting member of the Commission.
SECTION 1.(b)  The Commission shall:
(1)	Assess the current compensation and classification system for correctional officers employed in the Department of Correction.
(2)	Review whether differences in the risks, duties, and competencies of correctional officers serving in minimum, medium, and maximum security facilities warrant differentials in pay based on any differing risks, duties, and competencies.
(3)	Study any other matter related to the compensation and terms and conditions of employment of correctional officers that the Commission deems relevant.
(4)	Make an interim report to the General Assembly by the convening of the 2008 Regular Session.
(5)	Make a final report to the 2009 General Assembly that includes findings, recommendations, and legislative proposals relating the compensation of State correctional officers.
SECTION 1.(c)  The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall each appoint a cochair for the Commission. The Commission may contract for consultant services as provided by G.S. 120‑32.02. Upon approval of the Legislative Services Commission, the Legislative Services Officer shall assign professional and clerical staff to assist in the work of the Commission. Clerical staff shall be furnished to the Commission through the offices of the House of Representatives and the Senate Directors of Legislative Assistants. The Commission may meet in the Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building upon the approval of the Legislative Services Commission. Members of the Commission shall receive per diem, subsistence, and travel allowances at the rate established in G.S. 120‑3.1. The appointing authority shall fill vacancies. The Commission, while in the discharge of its official duties, may exercise all the powers provided under the provisions of G.S. 120‑19 through G.S. 120‑19.4, including the power to request all officers, agents, agencies, and departments of the State to provide any information, data, or documents within their possession, ascertainable from their records, or otherwise available to them and the power to subpoena witnesses.
SECTION 1.(d)  The Commission shall terminate upon filing its final report.
SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the General Assembly the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for the 2007‑2008 fiscal year and the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for the 2008‑2009 fiscal year to fund the work of the Legislative Study Commission on Correctional Officer Compensation.
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2007.