A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO Establish a Joint Legislative Study Committee on  LOCAL MANAGEMENT ENTITY Issues.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  There is created the Joint Legislative Study Committee on Local Management Entities. The Committee shall consist of 12 members. The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint six members of which one must be a current member of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services, and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall appoint six members of which one must be a current member of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services. 
The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint a cochair, and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall appoint a cochair for the Committee. The Committee may meet at any time upon the joint call of the cochairs. Vacancies on the Committee shall be filled by the same appointing authority as made the initial appointment.
The Committee, while in the discharge of its official duties, may exercise all powers provided for under G.S. 120‑19 and G.S. 120‑19.1 through G.S. 120‑19.4. The Committee may contract for professional, clerical, or consultant services as provided by G.S. 120‑32.02.
Subject to the approval of the Legislative Services Commission, the Committee may meet in the Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building. The Legislative Services Commission, through the Legislative Services Officer, shall assign professional staff to assist the Committee in its work. The House of Representatives' and the Senate's Supervisors of Clerks shall assign clerical support staff to the Committee, and the expenses relating to the clerical employees shall be borne by the Committee. Members of the Committee shall receive subsistence and travel expenses at the rates set forth in G.S. 120‑3.1, 138‑5, or 138‑6, as appropriate.
SECTION 1.(b)  The Committee shall consider and report on impacts on the local management entity as it relates to:
(1)	The feasibility of requiring local management entities contracting with private providers delivering mental health, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse services to require that the provider   provide services to a certain percent or amount of  consumers who are not Medicaid eligible, who are part of the target population, and whose services are paid for using State funds.
(2)	Treatment in emergency rooms.
(3)	The administration of programs dealing with donated drugs.
(4)	Target populations.
(5)	Funds following the consumer.
(6)	Management of hospital bed days.
(7)	Local law enforcement issues relating to providing Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services.
(8)	Timely reimbursement from the State for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services. 
(9)	Any other matter that the Committee deems appropriate or necessary to provide proper information to the General Assembly on the subject of the study.
SECTION 1.(c)  The Committee may make an interim report to the 2007 General Assembly, Regular Session 2008, and shall make its final report to the 2009 General Assembly upon its convening.
SECTION 1.(d)  Of the funds appropriated to the General Assembly, the Legislative Services Commission shall allocate funds for the expenses of the Committee established by this section.
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.