A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to AUTHORIZE counties to enter into public‑private partnerships and to allow counties to provide communications services through public‑private partnerships.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 153A‑11 reads as rewritten:
"§ 153A‑11.  Corporate powers.
The inhabitants of each county are a body politic and corporate under the name specified in the act creating the county. Under that name they are vested with all the property and rights of property belonging to the corporation; have perpetual succession; may sue and be sued; may contract and be contracted with; may enter into public‑private partnerships; may acquire and hold any property and rights of property, real and personal, that may be devised, bequeathed, sold, or in any manner conveyed, dedicated to, or otherwise acquired by the corporation, and from time to time may hold, invest, sell, or dispose of the property and rights of property; may have a common seal and alter and renew it at will; and have and may exercise in conformity with the laws of this State county powers, rights, duties, functions, privileges, and immunities of every name and nature."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 153A‑149(c) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(c)	Each county may levy property taxes for one or more of the purposes listed in this subsection up to a combined rate of one dollar and fifty cents ($1.50) on the one hundred dollars ($100.00) appraised value of property subject to taxation. Authorized purposes subject to the rate limitation are:
…
(9a)	Communications Network. – To provide through a public‑private partnership a wired or wireless network for the provision of communications services.
…."
SECTION 3.  Article 23 of Chapter 153A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 153A‑456. Public‑private partnerships for communications services.
A county may provide through a public‑private partnership a wired or wireless network for the provision of communications services."
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.