A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO establish uniform geographical administrative divisions for the state, to direct the Departments of transportation and environment and natural resources to take action to align their administrative regions with these uniform regions, and to create the commission on Regionalization Conformity to develop recommendations on conforming (i) the existing regional divisions of the seven regional commissions and partnerships to the uniform divisions and (ii) to develop a schedule for studying the regional divisions of other state agencies that have regional offices.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

PART I. CREATION OF UNIFORM REGIONAL DIVISIONS.
SECTION 1.(a)  Intent to Create Uniform Regional Divisions. – It is the intent of the General Assembly to establish geographically uniform administrative regions in this State for State agencies that have regional offices and, to the extent feasible, to consolidate regional offices and to establish a one‑stop source in each region for citizens and businesses seeking State services at a regional office.
SECTION 1.(b)  Article 1 of Chapter 143B of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 143B‑28.1.  Uniform regional administrative divisions.
For purposes of regionalization conformity, the State is hereby divided into seven regions as follows:
(1)	Region I, consisting of Buncombe, Burke, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Heywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, and Yancey Counties.
(2)	Region II, consisting of Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yadkin Counties.
(3)	Region III, consisting of Alamance, Caswell, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Guilford, Orange, Rockingham, Rowan, and Stokes Counties.
(4)	Region IV, consisting of Anson, Cabarrus, Chatham, Hoke, Lee, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Moore, Randolph, Richmond, Scotland, Stanly, and Union Counties.
(5)	Region V, consisting of Durham, Edgecombe, Franklin, Granville, Halifax, Johnston, Nash, Person, Vance, Wake, Warren, Wayne, and Wilson Counties.
(6)	Region VI, consisting of Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Cumberland, Duplin, Harnett, New Hanover, Onslow, Pender, Robeson, and Sampson Counties.
(7)	Region VII, consisting of Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Carteret, Chowan, Craven, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Greene, Hertford, Hyde, Jones, Lenoir, Martin, Northampton, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Pitt, Tyrell, and Washington Counties."SECTION 1.(c)  This Part becomes effective July 1, 2013.

PART II. IMPLEMENTATION OF UNIFORM REGIONAL DIVISIONS IN PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENTS OF TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES.
SECTION 2.(a)  DOT and DENR to Develop Plan to Implement Uniform Regions and to Establish One‑Stop Services. – The Department of Transportation and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources shall, in cooperation with each other, develop a plan to align their administrative regions with the regions set out in G.S. 143B‑28.1, as enacted by Section 1 of this act. The plan shall include the following:
(1)	Establishment of regional offices that are either shared or in the same location.
(2)	Steps necessary to create efficient, economical, and user‑friendly one‑stop regional services for citizens and businesses. These may include shared frontline staff, staff cross‑trained in the basic requirements for permits issued by both department, or a combination; consolidation of programs or services and identification of any statutory or other legal impediments.
(3)	Identification of equipment and support services that may be efficiently and economically shared at shared regional facilities.
(4)	Identification of any savings or additional costs reasonably likely to result from the requirements of this section.
(5)	A time line for completion of the plan.
SECTION 2.(b)  Implementation of Plan and Reports. – The Departments of Transportation and Environment and Natural Resources shall jointly report on the plan developed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section to the Chairs of the House Appropriations Committee and the Cochairs of the Senate Appropriations/Base Budget Committee no later than June 1, 2013. The Departments of Transportation and Environment and Natural Resources shall begin implementation of the plan no later than July 1, 2013, and shall provide quarterly reports on its implementation by October 1, 2013, January 1, 2014, and April 1, 2014, and more frequently, if requested, to the Study Commission on Regionalization Conformity created in Section 4 of this act and to the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee and the Environmental Review Commission.
SECTION 2.(c)  The Department of Transportation and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources shall use funds available to carry out the requirements of this section.

PART III. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE TO STUDY REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS.
SECTION 3.(a)  Department of Commerce Recommendations. – The Department of Commerce shall study and make recommendations on:
(1)	How the four regional economic development commissions created in Chapter 158 of the General Statutes (the Western North Carolina Regional Economic Development Commission (AdvantageWest), North Carolina's Northeast Commission, the Southeastern North Carolina Regional Economic Development Commission, and North Carolina's Eastern Region Development Commission) and the three regional economic development partnerships (the Charlotte Regional Partnership, Inc., the Piedmont Triad Regional partnership, and the Research Triangle Regional Partnership) may be most efficiently and economically aligned with the regions set out in G.S. 143B‑28.1, as enacted by Section 1 of this act, and what action is needed to implement the recommended changes, including any necessary legislation.
(2)	Ways the programs and activities of the four regional economic development commissions and the three regional economic development partnerships can be best coordinated with those of the Department of Commerce and with other State agencies to create one‑stop regional services for citizens and businesses.
In developing its recommendations, the Department shall consult with the four commissions and three partnerships. The Department shall also identify any savings or additional costs likely to result from the realignment of the commissions and partnerships, including any possibilities for them to leverage private funding whenever possible.
SECTION 3.(b)  Report; Funds. – The Department of Commerce shall report its recommendations to the Study Commission on Regionalization Conformity created in Section 4 of this act no later than September 1, 2013. The Department shall use funds otherwise available to conduct the study.

PART IV. STUDY COMMISSION ON REGIONALIZATION CONFORMITY.
SECTION 4.1.(a)  Creation of Commission. – The Study Commission on Regionalization Conformity is established in the General Assembly.
SECTION 4.1.(b)  Membership. – The Study Commission on Regionalization Conformity shall consist of eight members, four members of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and four members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
SECTION 4.1.(c)  Cochairs; Vacancies; Quorum. – The Study Commission on Regionalization Conformity shall have two cochairs, one designated by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and one designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives from among their respective appointees. The Commission shall meet upon the call of the cochairs. Any vacancy on the Commission shall be filled by the original appointing authority. A majority of the members of the Commission constitutes a quorum.
SECTION 4.1.(d)  Compensation; Administration. – Members of the Study Commission on Regionalization Conformity shall receive per diem, subsistence, and travel allowances in accordance with G.S. 120‑3.1. The Commission, while in the discharge of its official duties, may exercise all powers provided for under G.S. 120‑19 and G.S. 120‑19.1 through G.S. 120‑19.4. The Commission may meet in the Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building.
With approval of the Legislative Services Commission, the Legislative Services Officer shall assign professional staff to assist the Study Commission on Regionalization Conformity in its work. The House of Representatives' and the Senate's Directors of Legislative Assistants shall assign clerical staff to the Study Commission on Regionalization Conformity, and the expenses relating to the clerical employees shall be borne by the Commission. The Study Commission on Regionalization Conformity may contract for professional, clerical, or consultant services, as provided by G.S. 120‑32.02.
SECTION 4.2.(a)  Duties. – The Study Commission on Regionalization Conformity shall review the recommendations submitted by the Department of Commerce pursuant to Section 3 of this act and any other information the Commission deems relevant. After conducting its review, the Commission shall recommend to the 2014 Regular Session of the 2013 General Assembly a plan for aligning the seven regional commissions and partnerships with the regions set out in G.S. 143B‑28.1 as enacted by Section 1 of this act. The recommendations shall include requiring local commerce entities to leverage private funding whenever possible, a proposed time line for implementation, and any required legislation, including conforming amendments. The report containing the recommendations shall identify any savings or costs identified by the Commission as likely to result from its recommendations.
SECTION 4.2.(b)  Additional Study. – The Study Commission on Regionalization Conformity may also:
(1)	After reviewing the quarterly reports submitted jointly by the Departments of Transportation and Environment and Natural Resources pursuant to Section 2 of this act and any other information the Commission deems relevant, recommend additional legislation, including conforming statutory amendments, that may be necessary to complete the implementation of the plan developed by the Departments pursuant to Section 2 of this act.
(2)	Identify other State departments, agencies, boards, and commissions with regional offices that should be aligned with the uniform regional divisions established in G.S. 143B‑28.1, as enacted by Section 1 of this act, and a proposed schedule for studying how to best align them.
(3)	Study and identify whether there are (i) opportunities for citizens and businesses seeking services from State departments and agencies, especially in connection with permitting, or (ii) activities performed by State Departments and agencies at regional offices that could be better done by that entity's office in Raleigh, through the Internet or other means, or that could be better done at the county or local level.
SECTION 4.2.(c)  Report. – The Study Commission on Regionalization Conformity shall report its recommendations under this section to the 2014 Regular Session of the 2013 General Assembly.
SECTION 4.2.(d)  Agency Cooperation. – All State departments and agencies and local governments and their subdivisions shall furnish the Study Commission on Regionalization Conformity with any information in their possession or available to them.
SECTION 4.2.(e)  Commission Termination. – The Study Commission on Regionalization Conformity shall terminate on the filing of its report.

PART V. EFFECTIVE DATE AND CONSTRUCTION.
SECTION 5.(a)  Nothing in this act shall be construed to obligate the General Assembly to appropriate funds to implement this act.
SECTION 5.(b)  Except as otherwise provided in this act, this act is effective when it becomes law.