A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to set certain minimum requirements for the evaluation of mental and physical health for those persons seeking to become criminal justice officers by approval of the north carolina criminal justice education and training standards commission.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 17C‑10 reads as rewritten:
"§ 17C‑10.  Required standards.
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(c)	In addition to the requirements of subsection (b) of this section, the Commission, by rules and regulations, shall fix other qualifications for the employment, training, and retention of criminal justice officers including minimum age, education, physical and mental standards pursuant to subsection (c1) of this section, citizenship, good moral character, experience, and such other matters as relate to the competence and reliability of persons to assume and discharge the responsibilities of criminal justice officers, and the Commission shall prescribe the means for presenting evidence of fulfillment of these requirements.
Where minimum educational standards are not met, yet the individual shows potential and a willingness to achieve the standards by extra study, they may be waived by the Commission for the reasonable amount of time it will take to achieve the standards required. Such an educational waiver shall not exceed 12 months.
(c1)	The Commission, by rules and regulations, shall establish minimum standards to ensure the applicant is psychologically and physically suited to fulfill essential job functions. The standards, at a minimum, shall include the following:
(1)	Completion of a psychological screening examination by a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist licensed to practice in North Carolina who is trained and experienced specifically in pre‑employment psychological evaluations for public safety positions. Examinations shall include a written psychological test battery and an in‑person interview.
(2)	Certification of a physical examination by a physician licensed in North Carolina, physician's assistant, or nurse practitioner to ensure the applicant meets the physical standards needed to fulfill the officer's particular responsibilities as stated in the essential job functions."
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SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective October 1, 2019, and applies to applications received on or after that date.