A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to establish the joint Study committee on military and veterans affairs and to direct the committee to study issues relating to military and veterans affairs.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  Committee created. – There is created the Joint Study Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs.
SECTION 1.(b)  Membership. – The Committee shall be comprised of nine members as follows:
(1)	Four members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(2)	Four members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
(3)	The Director of the Department of Administration, Division of Veterans Affairs.
(4)	The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall appoint Cochairs for the Committee from their appointments. 
Members shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority.
SECTION 1.(c)  Duties of the Committee. – The Committee shall study or examine the following issues:
(1)	Taxes on disability car grants for wounded veterans.
(2)	How many people must apply for a particular license plate before it is made, as this issue affects veterans seeking special license plates.
(3)	How the term "veteran" is defined.
(4)	School eligibility of children of members of the military.
(5)	Child custody issues faced by military personnel.
(6)	Compatible development issues facing North Carolina's military installations.
(7)	Other issues affecting North Carolina's military bases or military population.
SECTION 1.(d)  Vacancies. – Any vacancy shall be filled by the original appointing authority. 
SECTION 1.(e)  Quorum. – A quorum of the Committee shall be a majority of its members.
SECTION 1.(f)  Chair. – The Chair of the Committee shall be jointly appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. 
SECTION 1.(g)  Meetings. – The Committee shall meet upon the call of the Chair.
SECTION 1.(h)  Expenses of members. – Members of the Committee shall receive per diem, subsistence, and travel allowances in accordance with G.S. 120‑3.1, 138‑5, 138‑6, as appropriate.
SECTION 2.  Report. – The Committee shall submit a final report of the results of its study, including any legislative recommendations, to the 2008 Regular Session of the 2007 General Assembly no later than March 1, 2008.
SECTION 3.  Expiration of Committee. – The Committee shall terminate on April 15, 2008, or upon the filing of its final report, whichever occurs first. 
SECTION 4.  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 for the costs of the Joint Study Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs created by this act.
SECTION 5.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2007.