A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT exempting new hanover regional medical center, a new hanover county hospital, from statutory requirements governing public contracts.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  No provision of law with respect to the acquisition or operation of property by other public bodies shall be applicable to New Hanover Regional Medical Center (hereinafter "Center") unless otherwise specified by the General Assembly, except that the Center shall do all of the following:
(1)	Obtain a resolution from the Board of Commissioners of New Hanover County approving the Center's exemption from statutory requirements governing public contracts as provided in this act. The Board of Commissioners may withdraw its approval by a subsequent resolution, but its withdrawal of approval shall have no effect on any contract entered into by the Center pursuant to a previous resolution of approval.
 (2)	Comply with the minority business participation requirements set forth in Article 8 of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes.
(3)	Comply with the certificate of need requirements set forth in Article 9 of Chapter 131E of the General Statutes.
(4)	Conduct an annual independent audit of all contracts for construction or repair work that would otherwise be subject to the competitive bidding requirements provided in G.S. 143‑129.
SECTION 2.  Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 1 of this act, the Center shall only use the authority granted in this act when it is in the best interests of the Center to do so.  Upon awarding a contract pursuant to the provisions of this act, the Center shall publish in writing the specific reasons why it used the authority granted in this act instead of the methods and procedures applicable to public bodies pursuant to the General Statutes. 
SECTION 3.  The Center shall comply with the provisions of Chapter 132 of the General Statutes and G.S. 131E‑97.3 when exercising authority pursuant to the provisions of this act. 
SECTION 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law.