A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT Allowing a nonprofit organization to be issued a building permit whether or not the nonprofit organization employs on its staff or contracts for the services of a general contractor licensed under the laws of this state.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 87‑14 reads as rewritten:
"§ 87‑14.  Regulations as to issue of building permits.
(a)	Any person, firm or corporation, upon making application to the building inspector or such other authority of any incorporated city, town or county in North Carolina charged with the duty of issuing building or other permits for the construction of any building, highway, sewer, grading or any improvement or structure where the cost thereof is to be thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) or more, shall, before he be entitled to the issuance of such permit, furnish satisfactory proof to such inspector or authority that he or another person contracting to superintend or manage the construction is duly licensed under the terms of this Article to carry out or superintend the same, and that he has paid the license tax required by the Revenue Act of the State of North Carolina then in force so as to be qualified to bid upon or contract for the work for which the permit has been applied, and that he has in effect Workers' Compensation insurance as required by Chapter 97 of the General Statutes; and it shall be unlawful for such building inspector or other authority to issue or allow the issuance of such building permit unless and until the applicant has furnished evidence that he is either exempt from the provisions of this Article or is duly licensed under this Article to carry out or superintend the work for which permit has been applied; and further, that the applicant has paid the license tax required by the State Revenue Act then in force so as to be qualified to bid upon or contract for the work covered by the permit; and further, that the applicant has in effect Workers' Compensation insurance as required by Chapter 97 of the General Statutes. Any building inspector or other such authority who is subject to and violates the terms of this section shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor and subject only to a fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00).
(b)	Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, a nonprofit organization performing general contracting work for the construction of residential buildings in this State whose workforce primarily consists of volunteers may be issued a building permit under this section whether or not the nonprofit organization employs on its staff or contracts for the services of a general contractor licensed under this Article. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to relieve any nonprofit organization performing general contracting work pursuant to this subsection from otherwise complying with the provisions of this Article, requirements under the North Carolina State Building Code, or any rules adopted by the Board."
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.