AN ACT making the operation of an unlicensed adult care home a class h felony that requires payment of a one thousand dollar fine for each offense.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 131D‑2.6 reads as rewritten:

§ 131D‑2.6.  Legal action by Department.

(a)        Notwithstanding the existence or pursuit of any other remedy, the Department may, in the manner provided by law, maintain an action in the name of the State for injunction or other process against any person to restrain or prevent the establishment, conduct, management, or operation of an adult care home without a license. Such action shall be instituted in the superior court of the county in which any unlicensed activity has occurred or is occurring.

(b)        Any individual or corporation that establishes, conducts, manages, or operates a facility subject to licensure under this section without a license is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor Class H felony and, upon conviction, shall be punishable only by a fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00) for the first offense and not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each subsequent offense. fined in the amount of one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each offense. Each day of a continuing violation after conviction shall be considered a separate offense.

(c)        If any person shall hinder the proper performance of duty of the Secretary or the Secretary's representative in carrying out this section, the Secretary may institute an action in the superior court of the county in which the hindrance has occurred for injunctive relief against the continued hindrance, irrespective of all other remedies at law.

(d)       Actions under this section shall be in accordance with Article 37 of Chapter 1 of the General Statutes and Rule 65 of the Rules of Civil Procedure.

SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective December 1, 2023, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.