AN ACT establishing new positions and pay schedules at the wildlife resources commission, providing salary adjustment funding for employees at the state crime laboratory, and appropriating funds for those purposes.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  Effective July 1, 2023, there is appropriated from the General Fund to the Reserve for Compensation Increases to fund 30 new full‑time positions and pay scales at the Wildlife Resources Commission the sum of sixteen million one hundred eighty‑six thousand two hundred seventy‑eight dollars ($16,186,278) for the 2023‑2024 fiscal year and the sum of sixteen million one hundred eighty‑six thousand two hundred seventy‑eight dollars ($16,186,278) for the 2024‑2025 fiscal year to establish the pay schedule set forth in subsections (b) and (c) of this section. These funds shall be used for one salary schedule based upon experience and one salary schedule based upon rank.

SECTION 1.(b)  Effective July 1, 2023, eligible Wildlife Resources Commission employees shall be paid based upon the following experience‑based annual salary schedule:

Years of Experience                    2023‑2025

0                                                $49,516

1                                                $52,735

2                                                $56,163

3                                                $59,814

4                                                $63,702

5                                                $67,843

6+                                             $72,253

SECTION 1.(c)  Effective July 1, 2023, eligible Wildlife Resources Commission employees shall be paid based upon the following rank‑based annual salary schedule:

Rank                                             Pay Scale

Pilot 1, Sergeant                             $79,479

Pilot 2, Lieutenant                          $87,426

Captain                                          $100,540

Major                                             $120,648

Colonel                                          $144,778

SECTION 2.(a)  Effective July 1, 2023, there is appropriated from the General Fund to the Reserve for Compensation Increases to fund salary adjustments at the State Crime Laboratory in the Department of Justice the sum of two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) for the 2023‑2024 fiscal year and the sum of two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) for the 2024‑2025 fiscal year. These funds shall be used for employee recruitment and retention.

SECTION 2.(b)  By January 15, 2024, the Department of Justice, in conjunction with the Office of State Human Resources, shall develop recommendations and a legislative proposal for an experience‑based salary schedule for State Crime Laboratory employees and report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee for Justice and Public Safety. The report should include all of the following:

(1)        A market analysis of forensic scientists' pay rates.

(2)        A recommended pay schedule and associated costs.

(3)        An analysis of workload and necessary full‑time equivalent positions.

(4)        An analysis of education and experience requirements related to each position classification.

SECTION 3.  Effective July 1, 2023, with respect to positions affected by this act, positions which were previously receipt‑supported shall be supported by the General Fund.

SECTION 4.  Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes law.