AN ACT extending the terms of the members of the southeast regional airport authority from two to four years and authorizing the authority to sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of real or personal property belonging to the authority without complying with state laws regulating the disposition of property by local governments.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  Section 2(b) of S.L. 2020‑19 reads as rewritten:

SECTION 2.(b)  Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, members Members shall serve for a term of two four years, beginning on January 1, and the terms shall be staggered. Members may serve no more than two successive terms. An initial term described in subsection (c) of this section shall be counted when determining the number of successive terms served. A member who has served two successive terms may not be reappointed to the Authority except after a lapse of two years following the most recent term served. In the event a member is appointed to fill an unexpired term, and at least one year two years of the unexpired term remains to be served, the appointment shall be counted in determining the number of successive terms served. Upon the expiration of a member's term, the member may continue to serve until a successor has been appointed, but in no case shall the member serve for more than 60 days beyond the end of the member's term. Any vacancy occurring among the membership of the Authority shall be filled within 60 days after notice thereof by the appointment of a successor by the mayor or chair who made the original appointment. The successor member shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term. Each member shall take and subscribe before the clerk of the town or county an oath of office, and the oath shall be filed in the office of the clerk. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to the Scotland County Economic Development Director who shall not be limited to the number of terms he or she may serve.

SECTION 1.(b)  Section 2(c) of S.L. 2020‑19 is repealed.

SECTION 1.(c)  The terms of the current members of the Southeast Regional Airport Authority shall expire on December 31, 2023. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2(b) of S.L. 2020‑19, as amended by subsection (a) of this section, the current members of the Authority may be reappointed to the Authority as provided in subsection (d) and subsection (e) of this section.

SECTION 1.(d)  Effective January 1, 2024, the members of the Authority shall be as follows:

(1)        Three registered voters of the City of Laurinburg appointed by the Mayor of the City, one of whom shall serve for a term of one year, one of whom shall serve for a term of two years, and one of whom shall serve for a term of three years.

(2)        Three registered voters of the Town of Maxton appointed by the Mayor of the Town, one of whom shall serve for a term of one year, one of whom shall serve for a term of two years, and one of whom shall serve for a term of three years.

(3)        One registered voter of Scotland County appointed by the Chair of the Board of Commissioners, who shall serve for a term of four years.

(4)        The Scotland County Economic Development Director, who shall serve as an ex officio nonvoting member.

SECTION 1.(e)  Upon the expiration of the terms provided for in subsection (d) of this section, each member may be appointed to two successive four‑year terms. The terms provided for in subsection (d) of this section shall not be counted when determining the number of successive terms served. Thereafter, members shall be appointed to the Authority as provided in Section 2(b) of S.L. 2020‑19, as amended by subsection (a) of this section.

SECTION 2.  Section 4 of S.L. 2020‑19 reads as rewritten:

SECTION 4.  Powers; Duties. – The Authority shall have the following powers and duties:

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(3)        To sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of any property, real or personal, belonging to the Authority, according to the procedures provided in Article 12 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes, but Authority, either by public sale or by negotiated private sale. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the procedures provided in Article 12 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes shall not apply to any sale, lease, or disposition of property by the Authority; provided, however, no sale of real property shall be made without the approval of the City of Laurinburg City Council, Town of Maxton Town Council, and Scotland County Board of Commissioners.

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