AN ACT to appropriate funds for an office of administrative hearings field office in southeastern north carolina for the setting of business‑related cases, FOR a FULL‑time administrative law judge to preside over those cases, and for a part‑time paralegal to support the field office's work.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of Administrative Hearings the sum of one hundred fifty‑three thousand one hundred fifty‑two dollars ($153,152) in recurring funds for each year of the 2021‑2023 fiscal biennium to be used to fund a full‑time administrative law judge position.

SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of Administrative Hearings the sum of twenty‑seven thousand five hundred fifty‑three dollars ($27,553) in recurring funds for each year of the 2021‑2023 fiscal biennium to be used to fund a part‑time paralegal position to support the administrative law judge position funded in Section 1 of this act.

SECTION 3.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of Administrative Hearings the sum of thirty‑eight thousand seven hundred dollars ($38,700) in recurring funds for each year of the 2021‑2023 fiscal biennium to be used to establish and operate an Office of Administrative Hearings field office in southeastern North Carolina for the setting of business‑related cases.

SECTION 4.  Pursuant to the powers conferred under Article 60 of Chapter 7A of the General Statutes and using the funds appropriated in Section 1 of this act, the Chief Administrative Law Judge shall appoint a full‑time administrative law judge that has the requisite experience and expertise to preside over business‑related cases. The Chief Administrative Law Judge shall assign the administrative law judge appointed under this section to preside over business‑related cases at the Office of Administrative Hearings field office funded under Section 3 of this act.

SECTION 5.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2021.