A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to authorize the department of transportation to enter into agreements with units of local governments to fund preliminary engineering for certain transportation projects.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 136‑66.8 reads as rewritten:
"§ 136‑66.8.  Agreements with units of local government to expedite projects.
(a)	Agreements Authorized. – The Department of Transportation may enter into agreements with units of local government for either of the following purposes:
(1)	Expediting transportation projects currently programmed in the Transportation Improvement Program.
(2)	Funding preliminary engineering for projects not currently programmed in the Transportation Improvement Program but programmed in the immediately preceding Transportation Improvement Program.
(b)	Form of Project Agreements. – The agreements authorized by subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section shall be between the Department of Transportation and units of local government. The agreements may authorize units of local government to construct projects scheduled in the Transportation Improvement Program more than two years from the date of the agreement. The units of local government shall fund one hundred percent (100%) of the project at current prices. In a future year, when the project is funded from State and federal sources, the units of local government shall be reimbursed an appropriate share of the funds, at the future programmed project funding amount, as identified and scheduled in the Transportation Improvement Program.
(b1)	Form of Preliminary Engineering Agreement. – The agreements authorized by subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section shall be between the Department of Transportation and units of local government. The units of local government shall fund one hundred percent (100%) of the preliminary engineering funding at current prices. In a future year, when the project is funded from State and federal sources, the units of local government shall be reimbursed for the amount expended in accordance with the agreement.
(c)	Report. – The Department of Transportation shall annually report to the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee by December 1 on any agreements executed with units of local government pursuant to this section."
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.