A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to direct the department of military and veterans affairs to study the issue of creating a north carolina veterans registry.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Department of Information Technology and the Program Evaluation Division of the General Assembly, shall study the issue of creating a North Carolina veterans registry. The purpose of the registry would be to give veterans and their families improved access to information regarding valuable State benefits, programs, and services for veterans and their families. Upon registering, a veteran or a family member of a veteran would receive access to information about available benefits, programs, and services. A registrant would also have the option of leaving the registry.
SECTION 1.(b)  The Department shall specifically study the following issues:
(1)	The information technology needed to create and maintain a veterans registry.
(2)	The best ways to summarize and present information about all the State benefits, programs, and services for veterans and their families.
(3)	The best ways to communicate this information to registrants.
(4)	The best ways to give notice to veterans and their families about the creation of a veterans registry and how to register.
(5)	The best ways to allow veterans and their families to opt in or opt out of the registry.
(6)	The best ways to maintain the security of the registrants' personal information.
SECTION 1.(c)  The Department shall report its findings and recommendations to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on General Government by February 1, 2020.
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.