AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE NORTH CAROLINA COMMISSION ON YOUTH MENTORING and to APPROPRIATE FUNDS to support YOUTH MENTORING INITIATIVES.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Article 9 of Chapter 143B of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Part to read:

Part 21A. North Carolina Commission on Youth Mentoring.

§ 143B‑208.20.  North Carolina Commission on Youth Mentoring – members; selection; quorum; compensation.

(a)        Creation and Duties. – There is established the North Carolina Commission on Youth Mentoring of the Department of Health and Human Services. The Commission shall have the following powers and duties:

(1)        Establish a grant program for small‑ to medium‑sized youth nonprofit mentoring organizations located in North Carolina with the intended goals of (i) invest in the awareness and sustainment of current and new community youth mentoring programs, (ii) increase high quality mentoring that supports youth long‑term goals and reduce safety‑ risk behaviors, and (iii) support a positive parent, adult, and youth connected community through efficiently trained and equipped mentor programming.

(2)        Develop an application process for the program and inform mentoring organizations how to apply.

(3)        Provide an annual report on or before December 1 on the distributions of the grants to the chairs of the House Appropriations Committee on General Government, the chairs of the Senate Appropriations Committee on General Government and Information Technology, and the Fiscal Research Division. The report shall include the following:

a.         The number of organizations that applied for grants.

b.         The amount of grant funds awarded and the names of the recipients.

c.         The balance of funds remaining.

d.         Findings of social impact.

(4)        Consult with the Council for Women and Youth Involvement as needed.

(5)        Advise the Secretary of Health and Human Services upon any matter the Secretary may refer to the Commission.

(b)        Membership. – The Commission shall consist of 15 members appointed by the Governor as follows:

(1)        One representative of a local mentoring or youth development nonprofit organization.

(2)        One representative of a national affiliate mentoring or youth development nonprofit organization.

(3)        Two representatives between the ages of 16 to 25 who are participants in mentoring programs.

(4)        Two representatives of the business/entrepreneurship community.

(5)        Two representatives of the philanthropic community.

(6)        One representative of the Department of Health and Human Services.

(7)        One representative of the Department of Public Instruction.

(8)        One designee from the Governor's Office.

(9)        Two members selected among local educators, of which one is representative of ages 5 to 12 and one is representative of ages 13 to 18.

(10)      One representative of the faith community.

(11)      One representative from local governments in the State.

(c)        Terms and Chair. – Members shall serve three‑year terms, with no prohibition against being reappointed. Any individual appointed to serve on the Commission shall serve until his or her successor is appointed and qualified. The Commission shall elect a chair and vice‑chair from its membership to serve a term of one year. No person may serve as chairperson for more than two consecutive years.

(d)       Meetings. – The chair shall convene the Commission. Meetings shall be held as often as necessary, but not less than four times a year.

(e)        Quorum. – A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The affirmative vote of a majority of the members present at meetings of the Commission shall be necessary for action to be taken by the Commission.

(f)        Vacancies. – A vacancy on the Commission or as chair of the Commission resulting from the resignation of a member or otherwise shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made, and the term shall be for the balance of the unexpired term.

(g)        Removal. – The Commission may remove a member for misfeasance, malfeasance, nonfeasance, or neglect of duty.

(h)        Compensation. – Commission members shall receive no per diem for their services but shall be entitled to receive travel allowances in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 138‑5 or G.S. 138‑6, as appropriate.

(i)         Staffing. – The Secretary of the Department of Department of Health and Human Services shall be responsible for staffing the Commission.

(j)         Funding. – From funds available to the Department of Health and Human Services, the Secretary shall allocate monies to fund the work of the Commission.

SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, North Carolina Commission on Youth Mentoring, as enacted by Section 1 of this act, the sum of one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) in recurring funds for each year of the 2025‑2027 fiscal biennium to be used to provide grants to mentoring organizations that meet the criteria established by subsection (a) of G.S. 143B‑208.20, as enacted by Section 1 of this act.

SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2025.