AN ACT to establish the north carolina Black women and girls task force and to appropriate funds for the task force.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

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

Part 31. North Carolina Black Women and Girls Task Force.

§ 143B‑426.60.  North Carolina Black Women and Girls Task Force.

(a)        Task Force Established. – There is established the North Carolina Black Women and Girls Task Force (Task Force) within the Department of Administration for budgetary purposes only.

(b)        Membership. – The Task Force shall consist of 13 members and shall include all of the following:

(1)        Nine grassroots‑led selected North Carolina advocacy nonprofit organization leaders that serve black women and/or girls who have an established mission of serving black women and/or girls within the State for a minimum of two years and appointed by the Secretary of Administration or his or her designee.

(2)        Two persons who are members of the Senate at the time of appointment, at least one of whom represents the minority party, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

(3)        Two persons who are members of the House of Representatives at the time of appointment, at least one of whom represents the minority party, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(c)        Appointment of Cochairs. – The President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each designate a cochair. The cochair appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall preside over the Task Force during the odd‑numbered year, and the cochair appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall preside in the even‑numbered year. A cochair may preside at any time during the absence of the presiding cochair or upon the presiding cochair's designation.

(d)       Terms, Vacancies. – All members shall be appointed for a term of two years. Members may be reappointed to successive terms. A vacancy on the task force shall be filled by the original appointing authority using the criteria for the prior appointment. Any appointment to fill a vacancy on the Task Force created by the resignation, dismissal, death, disability, or disqualification of a member shall be for the balance of the unexpired term.

(e)        Removal. – The Governor may remove any member of the Task Force for misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance, pursuant to the provisions of G.S. 143B‑13.

(f)        Meetings, Quorum. – The Task Force shall meet upon the call of its cochairs. The Task Force may meet in the Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building. A majority of the Task Force shall constitute a quorum.

(g)        Compensation, Staff. – Members of the Task Force shall receive per diem and necessary travel and subsistence expenses in accordance with G.S. 120‑3.1, 138‑5, and 138‑6, as applicable. The Secretary of Administration shall assign professional and clerical staff to assist the Task Force in its work.

§ 143B‑426.61.  Black Women and Girls Task Force – duties.

The Task Force shall serve as an advisory committee to study disaggregated findings concerning the well‑being of cisgender and transgender black women and girls in the State. In conducting this examination, the Task Force shall examine the following issues:

(1)        Study the health and wealth disparities of black women and their impact.

(2)        Review educational justice principles for black girls and the impact of trauma to learning.

(3)        Research all forms of violence to and on black women and girls.

(4)        Consider the impact of the criminal and juvenile justice system on black women and girls, including incarceration of black women and girls.

(5)        Examine the effect of political advocacy and engagement, employment, and health care, especially in the context of disparate impacts of COVID‑19, cancer, stress disorders, high blood pressure, maternal morbidity and infant mortality, reproduction, and other disparate health factors.

§ 143B‑426.62.  Black Women and Girls Task Force – report.

The Task Force shall submit its first report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services prior to the convening of the 2023 General Assembly and biennially thereafter. The report shall contain at least a summary of conclusions for each of the duties assigned to the Task Force under G.S. 143B‑426.61. Any recommendations proposing changes to law, rule, or policy shall be accompanied by specific legislative or policy proposals and estimated implementation costs.

§ 143B‑426.63.  Sunset.

This Part expires September 30, 2030.

SECTION 1.(b)  All appointing authorities shall make appointments to the Black Women and Girls Task Force as provided by G.S. 143B‑426.60(b) by October 1, 2021, and the terms of all members shall commence on October 1, 2021.

SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Administration the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for each year of the 2021‑2023 fiscal biennium in recurring funds for operation of the Black Women and Girls Task Force established in Section 1 of this act.

SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2021.