A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to authorize and require the DEPARTMENT of transportation to MAINTAIN any private road upon which five or more  families live to provide access for school buses and emergency vehicles.
Whereas, the General Assembly finds that the state of the economy has created hardships for families in the State; and
Whereas, the necessity of ingress and egress by school buses on these private roads to provide transportation to school-aged children is paramount; and
Whereas, the necessity of ingress and egress by emergency vehicles on these private roads to provide emergency services is paramount; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 136‑18 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(17a)	The Department of Transportation is hereby authorized and required to maintain and keep in repair, sufficient to accommodate the ingress and egress of public school buses and emergency vehicles, any private road, upon which at least five families live, leading to a State‑maintained public road upon which children are transported to and from school on public school buses."
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2009.