A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to create the north carolina MILITARY AFFAIRS commission.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The North Carolina Advisory Commission on Military Affairs is hereby abolished.
SECTION 2.  Chapter 127C of the General Statutes reads as rewritten:
"Chapter 127C.
"North Carolina Military Affairs Commission.
"§ 127C‑1.  Commission established; purpose; membership; transaction of business.
(a)	Establishment. – There is established the North Carolina Military Affairs Commission. The Commission shall be located within the Department of Public Safety for organizational, budgetary, and administrative purposes.
(b)	Purpose. – The purpose of the Commission is to advise the General Assembly, State officials, and State agencies on:
(1)	Strengthening the State's relationship with the military to protect the installations of this State from future defense budget cuts or military downsizing by providing a sound infrastructure, affordable housing, and affordable education for military members and their families and to be viewed by national military leaders as the most military‑friendly State in the nation.
(2)	Supporting the long‑term goal of a viable and prosperous military presence in this State, which shall include, at a minimum, the Commission's development of a comprehensive economic impact study of military activities in North Carolina, with recommendations for initiatives to support this goal.
(3)	Ways to coordinate the State's interests in future activities of the Department of Defense with the promotion of the State's economic interests in the development of the State's natural resources, including wind, solar, and natural gas and oil exploration.
(4)	Initiatives to improve the quality of life for military personnel and their dependents, including educational opportunities, occupational licensure, recreational activities, and access to the courts.
(5)	Any other issue or matter that the Commission deems appropriate in relation to the presence of the military in this State.
"§ 127C‑2.  Membership.
(a)	The North Carolina Military Affairs Commission shall consist of 15 voting members, who shall serve on the Executive Committee, and 17 nonvoting, ex officio members who shall serve by reason of their positions, as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section.
(b)	The Executive Committee shall be appointed as follows:
(1)	Four members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall be members of the House, with one member from or residing near each of the following communities: Jacksonville, Havelock, Goldsboro, and Fayetteville.
(2)	Four members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, who shall be members of the Senate, with one member from or residing near each of the following communities: Jacksonville, Havelock, Goldsboro, and Fayetteville.
(3)	Seven members appointed by the Governor, consisting of:
a.	One representative from the Jacksonville community, who shall have retired from the Armed Forces of the United States, with more than 20 years of military service.
b.	One representative from the Havelock community, who shall have retired from the Armed Forces of the United States, with more than 20 years of military service.c.	One representative from the Goldsboro community, who shall have retired from the Armed Forces of the United States, with more than 20 years of military service.
d.	One representative from the Fayetteville community, who shall have retired from the Armed Forces of the United States, with more than 20 years of military service.
e.	Three public members from across the State.
(c)	The following members, or their designee, shall serve ex officio:
(1)	The Lieutenant Governor.
(1a)	Secretary of Public Safety.
(2)	Secretary of Commerce.
(2a)	The Secretary of Transportation.
(2b)	The Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
(3)	Commanding General 18th Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg.
(4)	Commanding General Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune.
(5)	Commanding General Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point.
(6)	Commander 4th FW, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
(7)	Commander 43rd Airlift Wing, Pope Air Force Base.
(8)	Commander of the U.S. Coast Guard Support Center, Elizabeth City.
(9)	Adjutant General of the North Carolina National Guard.
(10)	The Executive Director of the North Carolina League of Municipalities.
(11)	The Executive Director of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners.
(12)	The Assistant Secretary for Veterans Affairs, Department of Administration.
(13)	The President of The University of North Carolina.
(14)	The President of the North Carolina Community College System.
(d)	The chair of the Commission shall be elected by a majority vote of the Executive Committee membership of the Commission.
(e)	The terms of the appointed members of the Commission shall be two years.
			(f)	The initial meeting of the Commission shall be within 30 days of the effective date of this act at a time and place to be determined by the Secretary of Public Safety. The first order of business at the initial meeting of the Commission shall be the election of a chair, after which the Commission shall meet upon the call of the chairman or the Military Advisor within the Office of the Governor. The members shall receive no compensation for attendance at meetings, except a per diem expense reimbursement. Members of the Commission who are not officers or employees of the State shall receive reimbursement for subsistence and travel expenses at rates set out in G.S. 138‑5 from funds made available to the Commission. Members of the Commission who are officers or employees of the State shall be reimbursed for travel and subsistence at the rates set out in G.S. 138‑6 from funds made available to the Commission.
"§ 127C‑3.  Military Advisor.
The Military Advisor within the Office of the Governor shall serve as the administrative head of the Commission and be responsible for the operations and normal business activities of the Commission, with oversight by the Executive Committee.
"							"SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective October 1, 2013.