A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to provide the department of transportation contracting authority to provide for transportation infrastructure and litter removal from state rights‑of‑way.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 136‑18(39) reads as rewritten:
"§ 136‑18.  Powers of Department of Transportation.
The said Department of Transportation is vested with the following powers:
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(39)	To enter into partnership agreements with the North Carolina Turnpike Authority, private entities, and authorized political subdivisions to finance, by tolls, contracts, and other financing methods authorized by law, the cost of acquiring, constructing, equipping, maintaining, and operating transportation infrastructure in this State, with priority given to highways, roads, streets, and bridges. An agreement entered into under this subdivision requires the concurrence of the Board of Transportation. The Department shall report to the Chairs of the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee, the Chairs of the House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, and the Chairs of the Senate Appropriations Committee on the Department of Transportation, at the same time it notifies the Board of Transportation of any proposed agreement under this subdivision."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 143B‑350(f)(12a) reads as rewritten:
"(12a)	To approve partnership agreements with the North Carolina Turnpike Authority, private entities, and authorized political subdivisions to finance, by tolls, contracts, and other financing methods authorized by law, the cost of acquiring, constructing, equipping, maintaining, and operating transportation infrastructure in this State, with priority given to highways, roads, streets, and bridges."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 136‑28.1 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"§ 136‑28.1.  Letting of contracts to bidders after advertisement; exceptions.
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(l)	The Department of Transportation may enter into as many as two pilot contracts for public private participation in providing litter removal from State right‑of‑way. Selection of firms to perform this work shall be made using a best value procurement process and shall be without regard to other provisions of law regarding the Adopt‑A‑Highway Program administered by the Department. Acknowledgement of sponsors may be indicated by appropriate signs that shall be owned by the Department of Transportation. The size, style, specifications, and content of the signs shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Department of Transportation. The Department of Transportation may issue rules and policies necessary to implement this section."
SECTION 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law.