AN ACT to appropriate funds to support a study and the development of a report and recommendations regarding law enforcement certification and onboarding processes in North carolina and other states.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  The Department of Justice, in consultation with the Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission and the Sheriffs' Education and Training Standards Commission, shall study at a minimum each of the following:

(1)        The current state of law enforcement officer certification in North Carolina, including at a minimum each of the following:

a.         The average length of time to become certified after beginning the certification process.

b.         The required minimum standards to become certified.

c.         The most common reasons why an individual fails to become certified or is disqualified from becoming certified.

d.         The positive and negative effects the current certification process has on recruitment.

(2)        The current state of the onboarding process of a law enforcement officer that has become certified, including at a minimum each of the following:

a.         The average length of time of the onboarding process.

b.         The required minimum standards of the onboarding process.

c.         The most common reasons why an individual fails to complete the onboarding process.

d.         The positive and negative effects the current onboarding process has on recruitment.

SECTION 1.(b)  The Department of Justice, in consultation with the Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission and the Sheriffs' Education and Training Standards Commission, shall study at a minimum each of the following:

(1)        The current state of law enforcement officer certification in at least three states of similar population to North Carolina, including at a minimum each of the following:

a.         The average length of time to become certified after beginning the certification process.

b.         The required minimum standards to become certified.

c.         The most common reasons why an individual fails to become certified or is disqualified from becoming certified.

d.         The positive and negative effects the current certification process has on recruitment.

(2)        The current state of the onboarding process of a law enforcement officer that has become certified in each of the three or more states studied in subdivision (1) of this subsection, including at a minimum each of the following:

a.         The average length of time of the onboarding process.

b.         The required minimum standards of the onboarding process.

c.         The most common reasons why an individual fails to complete the onboarding process.

d.         The positive and negative effects the current onboarding process has on recruitment.

SECTION 1.(c)  The Department of Justice, in consultation with the Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission and the Sheriffs' Education and Training Standards Commission, shall develop recommendations for the improvement of North Carolina's law enforcement certification process and the onboarding process of its certified law enforcement officers. These recommendations shall focus on steps the State can take to improve recruitment outcomes for all law enforcement agencies within North Carolina employing law enforcement officers certified or onboarded by the State.

SECTION 1.(d)  No later than March 1, 2025, for its interim report, and March 1, 2026, for its final report, the Department of Justice shall report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice and Public Safety regarding its findings and recommendations resulting from the directives imposed upon the Department by this section.

SECTION 2.(a)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Justice the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2024‑2025 fiscal year to be used to implement the directives imposed upon the Department by Section 1 of this act.

SECTION 2.(b)  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the funds appropriated by this act shall not revert until June 30, 2026.

SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2024.