AN ACT to establish the Study Commission on Large local school administrative units.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  There is created the Study Commission on Large Local School Administrative Units (Commission). The purpose of the Commission is to study whether the local school administrative units with the five largest student populations in the State experience any negative outcomes due to the large student populations and to suggest remedies to any negative outcomes caused by the size of the student populations.

SECTION 1.(b)  The Commission shall consist of nine voting members as follows:

(1)        A chair, jointly appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate from among the membership of the General Assembly. Resignation of the member from membership in the General Assembly shall be deemed a resignation from the Commission.

(2)        Two members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Resignation of the member from the House of Representatives shall be deemed a resignation from the Commission.

(3)        Two members of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. Resignation of the member from the Senate shall be deemed a resignation from the Commission.

(4)        One member from a local board of education of one of the five local school administrative units with the largest student populations to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The member shall be from a different local board of education than the member appointed pursuant to subdivision (5) of this subsection. Resignation of the member from the local board of education shall be deemed a resignation from the Commission.

(5)        One member from a local board of education of one of the five local school administrative units with the largest student populations to be appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. The member shall be from a different local board of education than the member appointed pursuant to subdivision (4) of this subsection. Resignation of the member from the local board of education shall be deemed a resignation from the Commission.

(6)        Two members shall be recommended by the Department of Public Instruction and shall be jointly appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

SECTION 1.(c)  The Commission shall meet upon the call of the chair. Any vacancy on the Commission shall be filled by the original appointing authority within 30 days of the vacancy occurring. If a recommendation is required for the initial appointment of a member, the recommending authority shall provide a recommendation to fill the vacancy. A quorum of the Commission shall be a majority of its members.

SECTION 1.(d)  The Commission shall study any negative outcomes in the five largest local school administrative units in the State, determine if any of those outcomes are caused by the large population of the unit, and develop recommendations on methods of addressing the outcomes.

SECTION 1.(e)  Members of the Commission shall receive per diem, subsistence, and travel allowances in accordance with G.S. 120‑3.1, 138‑5, or 138‑6, as appropriate. The Commission, while in the discharge of its official duties, may exercise all powers provided for under G.S. 120‑19 and G.S. 120‑19.1 through G.S. 120‑19.4. The Commission may meet in the Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building.

With approval of the Legislative Services Commission, the Legislative Services Officer shall assign professional staff to assist the Commission in its work. The House of Representatives' and the Senate's Directors of Legislative Assistants shall assign clerical staff to the Commission, and the expenses relating to the clerical employees shall be borne by the Commission. The Commission may contract for professional, clerical, or consultant services as provided by G.S. 120‑32.02. If the Commission hires a consultant, the consultant shall not be a State employee or a person currently under contract with the State to provide services.

All State departments and agencies and local governments and their subdivisions shall furnish the Commission with any information in their possession or available to them.

SECTION 1.(f)  The Commission shall report the results of its study and its recommendations, including any proposed legislative changes, to the 2026 Regular Session of the 2025 General Assembly. The Commission shall terminate on December 31, 2026, or upon the filing of its final report, whichever occurs first.

SECTION 1.(g)  Of the funds appropriated to the General Assembly, the Legislative Services Commission shall allocate funds for the expenses of the Study Commission on Large Local School Administrative Units.

SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.