AN ACT to allow emergency funding from the Water and Wastewater reserves to cover operating deficits incurred by certain public water and wastewater systems.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Article 1 of Chapter 159G of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 159G‑25.5.  Emergency expenditure for operating deficits incurred by certain public water systems and wastewater systems.
The Department may use funds in the Wastewater Reserve or the Drinking Water Reserve to provide grants to the Local Government Commission to cover deficits in the operating expenses of a public water or wastewater system in either of the following circumstances:
(1)	The Local Government Commission has exercised its powers under G.S. 159‑181 to assume full or partial control over the affairs of the public water or wastewater system or of the unit of local government or public authority that owns or operates the public water or wastewater system.
(2)	The charter of the unit of local government or public authority that owns or operates the public water or wastewater system has been suspended or revoked by local act."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 159G‑33(a) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(5)	Emergency grant for operating deficit. – An emergency grant for operating deficits is available for certain wastewater systems as set forth in G.S. 159G‑25.5."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 159G‑34(a) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(5)	Emergency grant for operating deficit. – An emergency grant for operating deficits is available for certain public water systems as set forth in G.S. 159G‑25.5."
SECTION 4.  This act becomes effective October 1, 2019.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 18th day of September, 2019.

	s/	 Jim Perry
	 Presiding Officer of the Senate

	s/	 Tim Moore
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives

	_____________________________________
		 Roy Cooper
	 Governor

Approved __________.m. this ______________ day of ___________________, 2019