A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT creating a statewide poverty task force, establishing two new personnel positions in the department of health and human serviceS dedicated to poverty reduction and economic recovery, and appropriating funds for those purposes.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Chapter 143 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article to read:
"Article 82.
"Statewide Poverty Task Force.
"§ 143‑770.  Statewide Poverty Task Force.
(a)	The General Assembly finds that poverty in this State is widespread, especially among minorities and in rural areas and other parts of the State that have lost significant numbers of jobs. Further, the General Assembly finds that a statewide coordinated effort is required to maximize the State's resources to reduce and potentially eradicate poverty among citizens able and willing to work. To that end, there is created the North Carolina Statewide Poverty Task Force. The Task Force shall be located within the Department of Health and Human Services, which shall provide meeting space and administrative staff for the Task Force.
(b)	The Task Force shall consist of 15 voting members appointed as follows:
(1)	Five members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to include the following:
a.	Two members of the House of Representatives.
b.	Three members of the general public, including persons with expertise in the fields of (i) business and economic development, (ii) job training and adult education, (iii) public health, (iv) affordable housing, and (v) faith‑based initiatives.
(2)	Five members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, to include the following:
a.	Two members of the Senate.
b.	Three members of the general public, including persons with expertise in the fields of (i) early childhood education, (ii) public safety, (iii) health disparities, (iv) child welfare, and (v) higher education.
(3)	Five members appointed by the Governor, to include the following:
a.	Three members of the general public.
b.	One member appointed upon the recommendation of the North Carolina Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
c.	One member appointed upon the recommendation of the North Carolina Latino Coalition.
(c)	The Task Force shall consist of the following nonvoting, ex officio members:
(1)	The Commissioner of Labor, or the Commissioner's designee.
(2)	The Superintendent of Public Instruction, or the Superintendent's designee.
(3)	The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, or the Secretary's designee.
(4)	The Secretary of the Department of Transportation, or the Secretary's designee.
(5)	The Secretary of the Department of Public Safety, or the Secretary's designee.
(6)	The Secretary of the Department of Commerce, or the Secretary's designee.
(7)	The Chairman of the Employment Security Commission, or the Chairman's designee.
(d)	The Task Force shall:
(1)	Identify long‑ and short‑range goals for eliminating poverty in North Carolina.
(2)	Develop a coordinated, integrated, ongoing approach among State agencies, departments, and institutions to reduce poverty in the State by establishing and implementing poverty reduction targets.
(e)	The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate each shall appoint a cochair for the Task Force, and the Task Force shall meet upon the joint call of the cochairs. A majority of the Task Force members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The Task Force may contract for consultant services. The appointing authority shall fill vacancies on the Task Force.
(f)	The Task Force, while in the discharge of its official duties, has the power to request all officers, agents, agencies, and departments of the State to provide any information, data, or documents within their possession, ascertainable from their records, or otherwise available to them.
(g)	Beginning January 1, 2018, and biennially thereafter, the Task Force shall submit a report to the Governor and to the General Assembly containing recommendations to reduce poverty and increase economic recovery. Beginning January 1, 2019, and biennially thereafter, the Task Force shall determine whether there has been a reduction in poverty in the State. When the Task Force determines that poverty has been reduced by at least fifty percent (50%) from the effective date of this act, the Task Force shall make a final report to the Governor and the General Assembly to that effect. The Task Force shall terminate upon filing the final report.
"§ 143‑771.  Member expenses and travel reimbursements.
Members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation but may receive travel and subsistence as follows:
(1)	Members who are officials or employees of a State agency or unit of local government, in accordance with G.S. 138‑6.
(2)	Members who serve in the General Assembly, in accordance with G.S. 120‑3.1.
(3)	All other members at the rate established in G.S. 138‑5."
SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) for the 2017‑2018 fiscal year and the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) for the 2018‑2019 fiscal year to fund the work of the Task Force pursuant to this act.
SECTION 3.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) for the 2017‑2018 fiscal year and the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) for the 2018‑2019 fiscal year to fund the salaries and support costs associated with two new personnel positions in that Department dedicated to staffing the Task Force and implementing the interdepartmental collaboration among State agencies, departments, and institutions to advance poverty reduction and economic recovery in the State.
SECTION 4.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2017.