AN ACT to establish the North Carolina Semiquincentennial legislative Commission.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  There is established the North Carolina Semiquincentennial Legislative Commission (Commission). The purpose of the Commission is to participate in the planning for the observance of the semiquincentennial of the American Revolution in North Carolina. The Commission shall coordinate with the North Carolina USA 250th Committee and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to make recommendations for the observance of the semiquincentennial of the American Revolution in North Carolina. Recommendations shall include any proposed legislation or appropriation appropriate to carry out the recommendations.

SECTION 1.(b)  The Commission shall consist of eight members as follows:

(1)        Four members of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, two from the majority party and two from the minority party.

(2)        Four members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, two from the majority party and two from the minority party.

SECTION 1.(c)  The President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each appoint a cochair of the Commission. The cochairs shall call the initial meeting of the Commission within 60 days of this act becoming law. A quorum of the Commission is a majority of its members. The term of office for members of the Commission shall be from the date of appointment until the date of expiration of the Commission. The appointing authority shall fill vacancies. Any of the following constitutes a vacancy: resignation from the Commission, failure to be reelected to the General Assembly, or resignation or removal from service in the General Assembly.

SECTION 1.(d)  Members of the Commission shall receive per diem, subsistence, and travel allowances in accordance with G.S. 120‑3.1.

SECTION 1.(e)  Subject to the approval of the Legislative Services Commission, the Commission may meet in the State Legislative Building, the Legislative Office Building, or any other appropriate location within the State. The Legislative Services Commission, through the Legislative Services Officer, shall assign professional staff to assist in the work of the Commission. The House of Representatives' and the Senate's Directors of Legislative Assistants shall assign clerical staff to the Commission, and the expenses relating to the clerical employees shall be borne by the Commission. The Commission, while in the discharge of its official duties, may exercise all of the powers provided under G.S. 120‑19, including the power to request all officers, agents, agencies, and departments of the State to provide any information, data, or documents within their possession, ascertainable from their records, or otherwise available to them.

SECTION 1.(f)  The Commission shall submit interim reports by December 1 annually, beginning with December 1, 2023, to the cochairs of the Appropriations/Base Budget Committee of the Senate and the cochairs of the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives. The Commission shall submit a final report no later than April 15, 2031. The Commission shall terminate upon the earlier of April 15, 2031, or submission of the report.

SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.