AN ACT to study public involvement and outreach in transportation planning and transparency, organization, and oversight of metropolitan planning ORGANIZATIONS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  The Study Committee on Metropolitan Planning Organizations is created. The Committee shall consist of 10 members as follows: (i) five members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, at least two of whom are members of the minority party, and (ii) five members of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, at least two of whom are members of the minority party. The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall each designate one member as a cochair. Vacancies of the Committee shall be filled within 30 days by the same appointing authority that made the initial appointment, and resignation or removal from service in the General Assembly constitutes resignation or removal from service on the Committee. The Committee shall meet upon the joint call of the cochairs. A majority shall constitute a quorum of the Committee, and no official action may be taken except by a majority vote at a meeting at which a quorum is present.

SECTION 1.(b)  The Committee shall study the following:

(1)        Public involvement and outreach in transportation planning by metropolitan planning organization.

(2)        Transparency, organization, and oversight of metropolitan planning organizations.

(3)        The role public involvement and outreach and transparency, organization, and oversight play in transportation planning by metropolitan planning organizations.

(4)        The way current methods of public involvement and outreach in transportation planning and transparency, organization, and oversight might be revised to better provide for public involvement, participation, and consultation in transportation planning by metropolitan planning organizations while maintaining compliance with federal transportation requirements.

SECTION 1.(c)  The Committee, while in the discharge of its official duties, may exercise all powers provided for under G.S. 120‑19 and G.S. 120‑19.1 through G.S. 120‑19.4. The Committee may meet in the Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building. Members of the Committee shall receive subsistence and travel expenses at the rates set forth in G.S. 120‑3.1.

The Legislative Services Commission, through the Legislative Services Officer, shall assign professional staff to assist the Committee in its work. The House of Representatives' and the Senate's Director of Legislative Assistants shall assign clerical staff to the Committee, and the expenses relating to the clerical employees shall be borne by the Committee. The Committee may contract for professional, clerical, or consultant services, as provided by G.S. 120‑32.02.

SECTION 1.(d)  The Committee shall report its findings and recommendations, including any recommended legislation, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President Pro Tempore of the Senate no later than two years after the effective date of this act. The Committee shall terminate upon filing its report or two years after the effective date of this act, whichever is earlier.

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