A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to create the north carolina human trafficking commission.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Article 9 of Chapter 143B of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Part to read as follows:
"Part 30. North Carolina Human Trafficking Commission.
"§ 143B‑426.45.  North Carolina Human Trafficking Commission.
(a)	Creation and Powers. – There is created within the Department of Administration the North Carolina Human Trafficking Commission (hereinafter 'Commission'), which shall be administered by the Department of Administration and shall have the following powers:
(1)	To commission, fund, and facilitate quantitative and qualitative research to explore the specific ways human trafficking is occurring in North Carolina and the links to international and domestic human trafficking, and to assist in creating measurement, assessment, and accountability mechanisms.
(2)	To contribute to efforts to inform and educate law enforcement personnel, social service providers, and the general public about trafficking so that human traffickers can be prosecuted and victim‑survivors can receive appropriate services.
(3)	To suggest new policies, procedures, or legislation to further the work of eradicating human trafficking and to provide assistance and review with new policies, procedures, and legislation.
(4)	To assist in developing regional response teams or other coordinated efforts to counter human trafficking at the level of law enforcement, legal services, social services, and nonprofits.
(5)	To identify gaps in law enforcement or service provision and recommend solutions to those gaps.
(b)	Membership. – The Commission shall consist of 18 members to be appointed in accordance with the following:
(1)	The Governor shall appoint one representative from each of the following:
a.	State Bureau of Investigation.
b.	State Highway Patrol.
c.	A county sheriff's department.
d.	A city or town police department.
e.	A district attorney.
f.	Attorney General's office.
(2)	The President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall appoint one representative from each of the following:
a.	Legal Aid of North Carolina, Inc.
b.	Department of Crime Control and Public Safety.
c.	Department of Labor.
d.	Department of Justice.
e.	Department of Health and Human Services.
f.	North Carolina Justice Center.
(3)	The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint one representative from each of the following:
a.	University of North Carolina Women's Center.
b.	Hospital/Health Care representative.
c.	North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
d.	A trauma expert.
e.	One of the area sexual assault response teams.
f.	A faith‑based shelter or benefits organization.
(c)	Terms. – Members shall serve for two‑year terms, with no prohibition against being reappointed. Initial appointments shall commence on September 1, 2011, for terms as follows:
(1)	The Governor shall appoint three members for terms of two years and three members for terms of three years.
(2)	The President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall appoint three members for terms of two years and three members for terms of three years.
(3)	The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint three members for terms of two years and three members for terms of three years.
(d)	Chair. – The chair shall be appointed biennially by the Governor from among the membership of the Commission. The initial term of the chair shall commence on September 1, 2011.
(e)	Meetings. – The chair shall convene the Commission. Meetings shall be held as often as necessary, but not less than four times a year.
(f)	Quorum. – A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The affirmative vote of a majority of the members present at meetings of the Commission shall be necessary for action to be taken by the Commission.
(g)	Vacancies. – A vacancy on the Commission or as chair of the Commission resulting from the resignation of a member or otherwise shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made, and the term shall be for the balance of the unexpired term.
(h)	Removal. – The Commission may remove a member for misfeasance, malfeasance, nonfeasance, or neglect of duty.
(i)	Compensation. – Commission members shall receive no per diem for their services but shall be entitled to receive travel allowances in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 138‑5 or G.S. 138‑6, as appropriate.(j)	Office Space. – The Department of Administration shall provide office space in Raleigh for use as offices by the Commission, and the Department of Administration shall receive no reimbursement from the Commission for the use of the property during the life of the Commission.
(k)	Staffing. – The Secretary of the Department of Administration shall be responsible for staffing the Commission."
SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Administration the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for the 2011‑2012 fiscal year and the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for the 2012‑2013 fiscal year to support the North Carolina Human Trafficking Commission established in Section 1 of this act.
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2011.