AN ACT to permit members to be present and voting, as constitutionally mandated, through the use of proxy voting in certain circumstances.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Article 3A of Chapter 120 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

§ 120‑11.3.  In‑person voting by use of proxies.

(a)        Findings. – The General Assembly of North Carolina finds that advances in technology have allowed meaningful participation even when persons are not physically co‑located. The General Assembly further finds that these advances allow a legislator to be present and voting, as contemplated by the Constitution of North Carolina, even if not physically located in the chamber at the time of the vote.

(b)        Definitions. – The following definitions apply in this section:

(1)        Reserved for future codification purposes.

(2)        Reserved for future codification purposes.

(3)        Designated proxy. – The leader of the party of the qualified member's chamber appointed to cast a vote for, and in the manner directed by, the qualified member.

(4)        Reserved for future codification purposes.

(5)        Reserved for future codification purposes.

(6)        Qualified member. – A member of the General Assembly who filed a voting designation with respect to a triggering event.

(7)        Triggering event. – The occurrence of childbirth, adoption, stillbirth, or miscarriage to a qualified member.

(8)        Voting designation. – A written submission by a qualified member to, and on a form made available by, the Principal Clerk of the member's chamber that appoints a designated proxy.

(c)        Proxy Voting. – The General Assembly shall permit a qualified member not physically located in the chamber to be present and voting by use of a designated proxy. In order to vote by use of a designated proxy, (i) the qualified member shall have filed a voting designation and shall access the real‑time, audio or audiovisual stream of each session in which the member votes by use of a designated proxy, (ii) the designated proxy shall be physically located in the chamber when the question is put, and (iii) over one‑half of the members of the chamber shall have already voted in the chamber on the question. After the members in the chamber have voted, the presiding officer shall call on the designated proxy of each qualified member voting pursuant to this subsection.

(d)       Security; Means. – The General Assembly of North Carolina shall, in accordance with rules adopted by each of the respective bodies, establish a process by which to validate and secure proxy voting conducted pursuant to subsection (c) of this section. Notwithstanding any rules adopted by a chamber to the contrary, the use of electronic devices, as necessary to effectuate the validation required by this subsection, shall be allowed in the chambers.

(e)        Duration. – A qualified member's voting designation shall be valid until the earlier of (i) 16 weeks from a triggering event or (ii) the date the qualified member revokes the designation in writing on a form made available by, and filed with, the appropriate Principal Clerk.

SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2025.