A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT creating the legislative study Commission on youth violence and appropriating funds for that purpose.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  There is created the Legislative Study Commission on Youth Violence (Commission).  The Commission shall consist of 21 voting members appointed as follows:
(1)	Seven members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to include:
a.	Three members of the House of Representatives.
b.	One person in the field of psychiatry, psychology, or social work.
c.	One person involved in community‑based efforts to stem youth violence.
d.	Two members of the general public.
(2)	Seven members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, to include:
a.	Three members of the Senate. 
b.	One person from the juvenile justice system.
c. 	One person engaged in university level research on child development and adolescent issues.
d.	Two members of the general public.
(3)	Seven members appointed by the Governor, to include:
a.	One person who is an active or retired juvenile probation officer.
b.	One person who is a current or retired public school teacher.
c.	One person in the field of foster care.
d.	One person to represent the field of law enforcement.
e.	One person from the faith-based community.
f.	Two members of the general public, each of whom is between eighteen and twenty‑one years of age.
The Secretary of the Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Secretary of Crime Control and Public Safety, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, or each respective officer's designee, shall serve as an ex officio nonvoting member of the Commission.
SECTION 1.(b)  The Commission shall:
(1)	Consider the causes and effects of youth violence in North Carolina.
(2)	Review current State, local, and private efforts to prevent youth violence, including working cooperatively with the Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention on youth violence issues that may overlap with the ongoing work of that Department.
(3)	Hold at least three regional public hearings for citizen input on youth violence, victims' issues, and related matters.
(4)	Study any other matter related to youth violence that the Commission deems relevant, but not to duplicate any prior review by the Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
(5)	Make an interim report to the General Assembly by the convening of the 2010 Regular Session.
(6)	Make a final report to the 2011 General Assembly that includes findings, recommendations, and legislative proposals relating to youth violence.
SECTION 1.(c)  The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall each appoint a cochair for the Commission.
The Commission may contract for consultant services as provided by G.S. 120‑32.02. Upon approval of the Legislative Services Commission, the Legislative Services Officer shall assign professional and clerical staff to assist in the work of the Commission. Clerical staff shall be furnished to the Commission through the offices of the House of Representatives and the Senate Directors of Legislative Assistants. The Commission may meet in the Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building upon the approval of the Legislative Services Commission. Members of the Commission shall receive per diem, subsistence, and travel allowances at the rate established in G.S. 120‑3.1. The appointing authority shall fill vacancies.
The Commission, while in the discharge of its official duties, may exercise all the powers provided under the provisions of G.S. 120‑19 through G.S. 120‑19.4, including the power to request all officers, agents, agencies, and departments of the State to provide any information, data, or documents within their possession, ascertainable from their records, or otherwise available to them and the power to subpoena witnesses.
SECTION 1.(d)  The Commission shall terminate upon filing its final report.
SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the General Assembly the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for the 2009‑2010 fiscal year and the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for the 2010‑2011 fiscal year to fund the work of the Commission.
SECTION 3.  The act becomes effective July 1, 2009.