A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to repeal the restriction on travel reimbursement to superior court and district court judges, district attorneys, assistant district attorneys, public defenders, and assistant public defenders for travel within the county of residence and to make the reimbursement language for those offices consistent.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 7A‑44(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	A judge of the superior court, regular or special, shall receive the annual salary set forth in the Current Operations Appropriations Act, and in addition shall be paid the same reimbursement as State employees generally by G.S. 138‑6(a) when traveling on official business. For purposes of this subsection, the term "official business" does not include regular, daily commuting between a judge's home and the court, unless the court is located outside the judge's county of residence. The Administrative Officer of the Courts may also reimburse superior court judges, in addition to the above funds for travel, for travel and subsistence expenses incurred for professional education."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 7A‑65(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	The annual salary of:
(1)	District attorneys shall be as provided in the Current Operations Appropriations Act.
(2)	Full‑time assistant district attorneys shall be as provided in the Current Operations Appropriations Act.
When traveling on official business, each district attorney and assistant district attorney is entitled to reimbursement to the same extent as State employees generally under G.S. 138‑6(a). For purposes of this subsection, the term "official business" does not include regular, daily commuting between a person's home and the district attorney's office. Travel distances, for purposes of reimbursement for mileage, shall be determined according to the travel policy of the Administrative Office of the Courts."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 7A‑144(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	Each judge shall receive the annual salary provided in the Current Operations Appropriations Act, and reimbursement on the same basis as State employees generally under G.S. 138‑6(a) when traveling on official business. For purposes of this subsection, the term "official business" does not include regular, daily commuting between a judge's home and the court, unless the court is located outside the judge's county of residence. Travel distances, for purposes of reimbursement for mileage, shall be determined according to the travel policy of the Administrative Office of the Courts."
SECTION 4.  G.S. 7A‑498.7(c1) reads as rewritten:
"(c1)	When traveling on official business, each public defender and assistant public defender is entitled to reimbursement to the same extent as State employees generally under G.S. 138‑6(a). For purposes of this subsection, the term "official business" does not include regular, daily commuting between a person's home and the public defender's office. Travel distances, for purposes of reimbursement for mileage, shall be determined according to the travel policy of the Administrative Office of the Courts."
SECTION 5.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2013.