A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to provide for bereavement leave for state employees and public school employees.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Article 2 of Chapter 126 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"§ 126‑8.6. Bereavement leave.
Upon the death of an immediate family member, State employees may receive up to three days of paid leave for bereavement, as provided for in rules adopted by the State Personnel Commission. Bereavement leave shall be reduced by one day for each day a paid holiday or nonworkday occurs during the three-day bereavement leave period. As used in this section, "immediate family member" refers to (i) the employee's spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, and grandchild, and any of the corresponding step, half, or in‑law relationships, or (ii) any person living within the employee's home for whom the employee may claim a deduction under section 151 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Employees shall not be permitted to accumulate bereavement leave or to use bereavement leave for creditable service toward retirement."
SECTION 2.  Article 23 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 115C‑336.2. Bereavement leave.
Upon the death of an immediate family member, public school employees may receive up to three days of paid leave for bereavement, as provided for in rules adopted by the State Board of Education. Bereavement leave shall be reduced by one day for each day a paid holiday or nonworkday occurs during the three-day bereavement leave period. As used in this section, "immediate family member" refers to (i) the employee's spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, and grandchild, and any of the corresponding step, half, or in‑law relationships, or (ii) any person living within the employee's home for whom the employee may claim a deduction under section 151 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Employees shall not be permitted to accumulate bereavement leave or to use bereavement leave for creditable service toward retirement."
SECTION 3.  The State Personnel Commission and the State Board of Education shall adopt the rules necessary to implement Sections 1 and 2 of this act.  The rules and policies developed to implement Sections 1 and 2 shall define in‑law relationships in the same manner as in‑law relationships are defined for sick leave.  
SECTION 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2007.