GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2021

 

SESSION LAW 2021-35

HOUSE BILL 812

 

 

AN ACT to amend the statute authorizing the use of remote meetings during certain states of emergency.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

SECTION 1.  G.S. 166A‑19.24 reads as rewritten:

§ 166A‑19.24.  Remote meetings during certain declarations of emergency.

(a)        Remote Meetings. – Notwithstanding any other provision of law, upon issuance of a declaration of emergency under G.S. 166A‑19.20, any public body within the emergency area may conduct remote meetings in accordance with this section and Article 33C of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes throughout the duration of that declaration of emergency. Compliance with this statute establishes a presumption that a remote meeting is open to the public.

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(b1)      If a public body has provided notice of an official meeting and one or more of the members of the public body desire to participate remotely after the issuance of the notice, the public body may amend the notice of the meeting to include the means whereby the public can access the remote meeting as that remote meeting occurs. Such amended notice of remote meeting shall comply with all of the following:

(1)        Be issued no less than six hours prior to the official meeting.

(2)        Be distributed in accordance with G.S. 143‑318.12(b)(2) and (b)(3), as applicable.

(3)        Be posted in accordance with G.S. 143‑318.12(e).

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(e)        Public Hearings. – A public body may conduct any public hearing required or authorized by law during a remote meeting, and take action thereon, provided the public body allows for written comments on the subject of the public hearing to be submitted between publication of any required notice and 24 hours after prior to the scheduled time for the beginning of the public hearing.

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(i)         [Definitions. – ] Definitions. – For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1)        Official meeting. – As defined in G.S. 143‑318.10(d).

(2)        Public body. – As defined in G.S. 143‑318.10(b) and (c).

(3)        Remote meeting. – An official meeting, or any part thereof, with between one and all of the members of the public body participating by simultaneous communication.

(4)        Simultaneous communication. – Any communication by conference telephone, conference video, or other electronic means.

SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2021, and applies to remote meetings held on or after that date.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 8th day of June, 2021.

 

 

                                                                    s/  Bill Rabon

                                                                         Presiding Officer of the Senate

 

 

                                                                    s/  Tim Moore

                                                                         Speaker of the House of Representatives

 

 

                                                                    s/  Roy Cooper

                                                                         Governor

 

 

Approved 3:36 p.m. this 16th day of June, 2021