A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to direct the joint legislative program evaluation oversight committee to direct the program evaluation division to study the benefits that may result from the merger of Public water systems and wastewater collection and treatment WORKS, as recommended by the environmental review commission.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee shall include in the 2014‑2015 Work Plan for the Program Evaluation Division of the General Assembly a study of the benefits that may result from the merger of public water systems and wastewater collection and treatment works. The Program Evaluation Division shall specifically include the following in the study:
(1)	Consideration of whether the benefits that have resulted from the merger of certain public water systems and certain wastewater collection and treatment works can be replicated for other systems. In considering this issue, the Program Evaluation Division shall investigate the performance of the Charlotte‑Mecklenburg Utility Department, the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority, and Two Rivers Utilities.
(2)	Whether the State can incentivize public water systems and wastewater collection and treatment works that provide service that is affordable, reliable, and compliant with all applicable laws to purchase, interconnect with, or enter into joint management agreements with public water systems and wastewater collection and treatment works that do not provide service that is affordable, reliable, and compliant with all applicable laws.
(3)	Whether the State can allow public water systems and wastewater collection and treatment works that provide service that is affordable, reliable, and compliant with all applicable laws to apply for grant funding or other assistance on the behalf of public water systems and wastewater collection and treatment works that do not provide service that is affordable, reliable, and compliant with all applicable laws if the award of such funding is contingent on purchase, interconnection, or a joint management agreement between the systems.
SECTION 2.  The Program Evaluation Division shall submit its findings and recommendations to the Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee and the Environmental Review Commission at a date to be determined by the Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee.
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.