AN ACT TO authorize the reinstatement of the Mountain island lake MARINE COMMISSION.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Article 6 of Chapter 77 of the General Statutes reads as rewritten:

Article 6.

Mountain Island Lake Marine Commission.

§ 77‑70.  Definitions.

For purposes of this Article:

(1)        Board means the Board. – The board of commissioners of one of the three participating counties.

(2)        Commission means the Commission. – The Mountain Island Lake Marine Commission or its governing board, as the case may be.board.

(3)        Commissioner means a Commissioner. – A member of the governing board of the Mountain Island Lake Marine Commission.

(4)        Eligible counties. – Gaston, Lincoln, and Mecklenburg Counties.

(4)(5)   Joint resolution means a Joint resolution. – A resolution or ordinance substantially identical in content adopted separately by the governing boards in each of the three counties.the participating counties.

(5)(6)   Mountain Island Lake means the Mountain Island Lake. – The impounded body of water along the Catawba River in the three counties extending from the Cowans Ford Dam downstream to the Mountain Island Dam.

(7)        Participating county. – Any of the eligible counties that have adopted a resolution to participate in the Commission and have not withdrawn.

(6)(8)   Shoreline area means, except Shoreline area. – Except as modified by a joint resolution, the area within the three counties lying within 1,000 feet of the full pond elevation contour on Mountain Island Lake. In addition, the shoreline area includes all islands within Mountain Island Lake and all peninsulas extending into the waters of Mountain Island Lake.

(7)        Three counties means Gaston, Lincoln, and Mecklenburg Counties.

(8)(9)   Wildlife Commission means the Wildlife Commission. – The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

§ 77‑71.  Authority to create Commission; withdrawal from and dissolution of Commission.

(a)        The three participating counties may by joint resolution create the Mountain Island Lake Marine Commission. Upon its creation the Commission has the powers, duties, and responsibilities conferred upon it by joint resolution, subject to the provisions of this Article.

(b)        The provisions of any joint resolution may be modified, amended, or rescinded by a subsequent joint resolution.resolution made with the unanimous consent of the participating counties.

(c)        A county may unilaterally withdraw from participation as provided by any joint resolution or the provisions of this Article, once the Commission has been created, and any county may unilaterally withdraw from the Commission at the end of any budget period upon 90 days prior written notice. Upon If upon the effectuation of the withdrawal, withdrawal there are either one or zero participating counties remaining, the Commission is dissolved, and all property of the Commission must be distributed to or divided among the three counties and any other public agency or agencies serving the Mountain Island Lake area in a manner considered equitable by the Commission by resolution adopted by it prior to dissolution. If upon the effectuation of the withdrawal there are at least two participating counties remaining, the Commission shall continue with the remaining participating counties.

(d)       If Lincoln County is not a participating county, any decision or advisory action by the Commission shall not include the portion of the shoreline area that is in Lincoln County.

§ 77‑72.  Membership; terms.

(a)        Upon its creation, the Commission shall have a governing board of seven. Except as otherwise provided for the initial appointees, each commissioner shall serve a three‑year term. Upon creation of the Commission, the Boards of Commissioners of Gaston County and Mecklenburg County shall appoint three commissioners each, and the Board of Commissioners of Lincoln County shall appoint one commissioner. Of the initial appointees:seven members, to be appointed subject to the provisions of this section. If there are three participating counties, the Board of Commissioners of each participating county shall appoint two members. If there are two participating counties, the Board of Commissioners of each participating county shall appoint three members. In either case, the final member of the Commission shall be appointed by agreement of the Boards of Commissioners of the participating counties.

(1)        One commissioner appointed by Gaston County and one member appointed by Mecklenburg County shall serve one‑year terms;

(2)        One commissioner appointed by Gaston County and one member appointed by Mecklenburg County shall serve two‑year terms; and

(3)        One member appointed by Gaston County, one member appointed by Mecklenburg County, and the member appointed by Lincoln County shall serve three‑year terms.

(b)        Any commissioner who has served two consecutive terms, including any initial term of less than three years, may not be reappointed to a third consecutive term. Such a member may, however, be appointed to serve again after the expiration of the term of the member's successor.

(c)        On the death of a commissioner, resignation, incapacity, or inability to serve, as determined by the board appointing that commissioner, or removal of the commissioner for cause, as determined by the board appointing that commissioner, the board affected may appoint another commissioner to fill the unexpired term.

§ 77‑73.  Compensation; budget.

The joint resolution of the three participating counties shall state the terms relating to compensation to commissioners, if any, compensation of consultants and staff members employed by the Commission, and reimbursement of expenses incurred by commissioners, consultants, and employees. The Commission shall be governed by those budgetary and accounting procedures specified by joint resolution.

§ 77‑74.  Organization and meetings.

Upon creation of the Commission, its governing board shall meet at a time and place agreed upon by the boards of the three participating counties concerned. The commissioners shall elect a chairman and officers as they choose. All officers shall serve one‑year terms. The governing board shall adopt rules and regulations as it deems necessary, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Article or of any joint resolution, for the proper discharge of its duties and for the governance of the Commission. In order to conduct business, a quorum must be present. The chairman may adopt those committees as authorized by those rules and regulations. The Commission shall meet regularly at times and places as specified in its rules and regulations or in any joint resolution. However, meetings of the Commission must be held in all three participating counties on a rotating basis so that an equal number of meetings is held in each county. Special meetings may be called as specified in the rules and regulations. The provisions of the Open Meetings Law, Article 33C of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes, shall apply.

§ 77‑75.  Powers of the Commission; administration and funding.

(a)        Within the limits of funds available to it and subject to the provisions of this Article and of any joint resolution, the Commission may:

(1)        Hire and fix the compensation of permanent and temporary employees and staff as it may deem necessary in carrying out its duties;

(2)        Contract with consultants for services it requires;

(3)        Contract with the State of North Carolina or the federal government, or any agency or department, or subdivision of them, for property or services as may be provided to or by these agencies and carry out the provisions of these contracts;

(4)        Contract with persons, firms, and corporations generally as to all matters over which it has a proper concern, and carry out the provisions of contracts;

(5)        Lease, rent, purchase, or otherwise obtain suitable quarters and office space for its employees and staff, and lease, rent, purchase, or otherwise obtain furniture, fixtures, vessels, vehicles, firearms, uniforms, and other supplies and equipment necessary or desirable for carrying out the duties imposed in or under the authority of this Article; and

(6)        Lease, rent, purchase, construct, otherwise obtain, maintain, operate, repair, and replace, either on its own or in cooperation with other public or private agencies or individuals, any of the following: boat docks, navigation aids, waterway markers, public information signs and notices, and other items of real and personal property designed to enhance public safety in Mountain Island Lake and its shoreline area, or protection of property in the shoreline area subject however to Chapter 113 of the General Statutes and rules promulgated under that Chapter.

(b)        The Commission may accept, receive, and disburse in furtherance of its functions any funds, grants, services, or property made available by the federal government or its agencies or subdivisions, by the State of North Carolina or its agencies or subdivisions, or by private and civic sources.

(c)        The governing boards of the three participating counties may appropriate funds to the Commission out of surplus funds or funds derived from nontax sources. They may appropriate funds out of tax revenues and may also levy annually property taxes for the payments of such appropriation as a special purpose, in addition to any allowed by the Constitution, or as provided by G.S. 153A‑149.

(d)       The Commission shall be subject to those audit requirements as may be specified in any joint resolution.

(e)        In carrying out its duties and either in addition to or in lieu of exercising various provisions of the above authorization, the Commission may, with the agreement of the governing board of the county concerned, utilize personnel and property of or assign responsibilities to any officer or employee of any of the three participating counties. Such contribution in kind, if substantial, may with the agreement of the any other two participating counties be deemed to substitute in whole or in part for the financial contribution required of that county in support of the Commission.

(f)        Unless otherwise specified by joint resolution, each of the three participating counties shall annually contribute an equal financial contribution to the Commission in an amount appropriate to support the activities of the Commission in carrying out its duties.

§ 77‑76.  Filing and publication of joint ordinances.

(a)        A copy of the joint resolution creating the Commission and of any joint resolution amending or repealing the joint resolution creating the Commission shall be filed with the Executive Director of the Wildlife Commission. When the Executive Director receives resolutions that are in substance identical from all three the participating counties concerned, the Executive Director shall within 10 days so certify and distribute a certified single resolution text to the following:

(1)        The Secretary of State;

(2)        The clerk to the governing board of each of the three counties;

(3)        The clerks of Superior Court of Lincoln, Mecklenburg, and Gaston Counties. Upon request, the Executive Director also shall send a certified single copy of any and all applicable joint resolutions to the chairman of the Commission; and

(4)        A newspaper of general circulation in the three counties.

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§ 77‑77.  Regulatory Commission authority.

(a)        Except as limited in subsection (b) of this section, by restrictions in any joint resolution, and by other supervening provisions of law, the The Commission may make regulations recommendations to the duly elected representatives of the participating counties or other relevant elected officials applicable to Mountain Island Lake and its shoreline area concerning all matters relating to or affecting the use of Mountain Island Lake. These regulations recommendations may not conflict with or supersede provisions of general or special acts or of regulations of State agencies promulgated under the authority of general law. No regulations adopted under this section may be adopted by the Commission except after public hearing, with publication of notice of the hearing being given in a newspaper of general circulation in the three counties at least 10 days before the hearing. In lieu of or in addition to passing regulations supplementary to State law and regulations concerning the operation of vessels on Mountain Island Lake, the Commission may, after public notice, request that the Wildlife Commission pass local regulations on this subject in accordance with the procedure established by appropriate State law.

(b)        Violation of any regulation of the Commission  commanding or prohibiting an act shall be a Class 3 misdemeanor.

(c)        The regulations promulgated under this section take  effect upon passage or upon dates as stipulated in the regulations, except  that no regulation may be enforced unless adequate notice of the  regulation has been posted in or on Mountain Island Lake or its shoreline  area. Adequate notice as to a regulation affecting only a particular  location may be by a sign, uniform waterway marker, posted notice, or  other effective method of communicating the essential provisions of the  regulation in the immediate vicinity of the location in question. Where a  regulation applies generally as to Mountain Island Lake or its shoreline  area, or both, there must be a posting of notices, signs, or markers  communicating the essential provisions in at least three different places  throughout the area, and it must be printed in a newspaper of general  circulation in the three counties.

(d)       A copy of each regulation promulgated under this  section must be filed by the Commission with the following persons:

(1)        The Secretary of State;

(2)        The clerks of Superior Court of Gaston, Lincoln,  and Mecklenburg Counties; and

(3)        The Executive Director of the Wildlife  Commission.

(e)        Any official designated in subsection (d) above may  issue certified copies of regulations filed with him under the seal of his  office. Those certified copies may be received in evidence in any  proceeding.

(f)        Publication and filing of regulations promulgated  under this section as required above is for informational purposes and  shall not be a prerequisite to their validity if they in fact have been  duly promulgated, the public has been notified as to the substance of  regulations, a copy of the text of all regulations is in fact available to  any person who may be affected, and no party to any proceeding has been  prejudiced by any defect that may exist with respect to publication and  filing. Rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission under the  provisions of other sections of this Article relating to internal governance  of the Commission need not be filed or published. Where posting of any  sign, notice, or marker or the making of other communication is essential  to the validity of a regulation duly promulgated, it shall be presumed in  any proceeding that prior notice was given and maintained and the burden lies upon the party asserting to the contrary to prove lack of adequate  notice of any regulation.

§ 77‑78.  Enforcement.

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(c)        Unless a joint resolution provides otherwise, all courts in the three participating counties within the limits of their subject matter jurisdiction shall have concurrent jurisdiction as to all criminal offenses arising within the boundaries of Mountain Island Lake and its shoreline area.

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SECTION 2.  This act applies only to Gaston, Lincoln, and Mecklenburg Counties.

SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.