GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 H 1 HOUSE BILL 82 Short Title: Study Commission for LEA Size. (Public) Sponsors: Representatives Lambeth and Zenger (Primary Sponsors). For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site. Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House February 11, 2025 *H82-v-1* A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1 AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE STUDY COMMISSION ON LARGE LOCAL SCHO OL 2 ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS. 3 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4 SECTION 1.(a) There is created the Study Commission on Large Local School 5 Administrative Units (Commission). The purpose of the Commission is to study whether the 6 local school administrative units with the five largest student populations in the State experience 7 any negative outcomes due to the large student populations and to suggest remedies to any 8 negative outcomes caused by the size of the student populations. 9 SECTION 1.(b) The Commission shall consist of nine voting members as follows: 10 (1) A chair, jointly appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and 11 the President Pro Tempore of the Senate from among the membership of the 12 General Assembly. Resignation of the member from membership in the 13 General Assembly shall be deemed a resignation from the Commission. 14 (2) Two members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of 15 the House of Representatives. Resignation of the member from the House of 16 Representatives shall be deemed a resignation from the Commission. 17 (3) Two members of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the 18 Senate. Resignation of the member from the Senate shall be deemed a 19 resignation from the Commission. 20 (4) One member from a local board of education of one of the five local school 21 administrative units with the largest student populations to be appointed by 22 the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The member shall be from a 23 different local board of education than the member appointed pursuant to 24 subdivision (5) of this subsection. Resignation of the member from the local 25 board of education shall be deemed a resignation from the Commission. 26 (5) One member from a local board of education of one of the five local school 27 administrative units with the largest student populations to be appointed by 28 the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. The member shall be from a different 29 local board of education than the member appointed pursuant to subdivision 30 (4) of this subsection. Resignation of the member from the local board of 31 education shall be deemed a resignation from the Commission. 32 (6) Two members shall be recommended by the Department of Public Instruction 33 and shall be jointly appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives 34 and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. 35 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 Page 2 House Bill 82-First Edition SECTION 1.(c) The Commission shall meet upon the call of the chair. Any vacancy 1 on the Commission shall be filled by the original appointing authority within 30 days of the 2 vacancy occurring. If a recommendation is required for the initial appointment of a member, the 3 recommending authority shall provide a recommendation to fill the vacancy. A quorum of the 4 Commission shall be a majority of its members. 5 SECTION 1.(d) The Commission shall study any negative outcomes in the five 6 largest local school administrative units in the State, determine if any of those outcomes are 7 caused by the large population of the unit, and develop recommendations on methods of 8 addressing the outcomes. 9 SECTION 1.(e) Members of the Commission shall receive per diem, subsistence, 10 and travel allowances in accordance with G.S. 120-3.1, 138-5, or 138-6, as appropriate. The 11 Commission, while in the discharge of its official duties, may exercise all powers provided for 12 under G.S. 120-19 and G.S. 120-19.1 through G.S. 120-19.4. The Commission may meet in the 13 Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building. 14 With approval of the Legislative Services Commission, the Legislative Services 15 Officer shall assign professional staff to assist the Commission in its work. The House of 16 Representatives' and the Senate's Directors of Legislative Assistants shall assign clerical staff to 17 the Commission, and the expenses relating to the clerical employees shall be borne by the 18 Commission. The Commission may contract for professional, clerical, or consultant services as 19 provided by G.S. 120-32.02. If the Commission hires a consultant, the consultant shall not be a 20 State employee or a person currently under contract with the State to provide services. 21 All State departments and agencies and local governments and their subdivisions shall 22 furnish the Commission with any information in their possession or available to them. 23 SECTION 1.(f) The Commission shall report the results of its study and its 24 recommendations, including any proposed legislative changes, to the 2026 Regular Session of 25 the 2025 General Assembly. The Commission shall terminate on December 31, 2026, or upon 26 the filing of its final report, whichever occurs first. 27 SECTION 1.(g) Of the funds appropriated to the General Assembly, the Legislative 28 Services Commission shall allocate funds for the expenses of the Study Commission on Large 29 Local School Administrative Units. 30 SECTION 2. This act is effective when it becomes law. 31