GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 1221

Short Title:  English as a 2nd Language/Study.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Representatives Warwick, Yongue; Baddour, Black, Blue, Bonner, Braswell, Brown, Davis, Dedmon, Earle, Hightower, Jeffus, Kinney, Moore, Mosley, Nesbitt, Nye, Saunders, Sutton, Warner, and G. Wilson.

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Referred to:  Education, if favorable, Appropriations.

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May 5, 1997

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO STUDY THE NEEDS OF NORTH CAROLINA RESIDENTS FOR WHOM ENGLISH IS A SECOND LANGUAGE.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  The Study Commission on the Needs of North Carolina Residents for Whom English is a Second Language is created.  The Commission shall consist of 16 members:
(1)	The Secretary of the Department of Human Resources or a designee;
(2)	The Secretary of the Department of Commerce or a designee;
(3)	The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture or a designee;
(4)	The Superintendent of Public Instruction or a designee;
(5)	Four members of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, two of whom are members of the majority party and two of whom are members of the minority party in the Senate;
(6)	Four members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, two of whom are members of the majority party and two of whom are members of the minority party in the House of Representatives; and
(7)	Four members appointed by the Governor.
Section 2.  The President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall designate one Senator as cochair and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate one Representative as cochair.
Section 3.  The Commission shall conduct a study of the needs of North Carolina residents for whom English is a second language and of North Carolina residents who work with or are in educational settings with persons for whom English is a second language.  In the course of the study, the Commission shall focus on the education of children for whom English is a second language and of other children and teachers in the same educational setting; the needs of these families and the adequacy of services to them; and the availability of jobs for them; and problems they may encounter in the workplace.  The Commission shall also consider differences in the needs for services in different geographical areas of the State.
Section 4.  The Commission may submit a preliminary report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly on or before the first day of the 1998 Regular Session of the 1997 General Assembly and a final report on or before the convening of the 1999 General Assembly by filing the report with the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.  The recommendations may include proposals for pilot programs to serve North Carolina residents for whom English is a second language and to serve others in the same settings who may need assistance.
Section 5.  Upon filing its final report, the Commission shall terminate.
Section 6.  The Commission, while in the discharge of official duties, may exercise all the powers provided for under the provisions of G.S. 120-19, and G.S. 120-19.1 through G.S. 120-19.4.  The Commission may meet at any time upon the joint call of the cochairmen.  The Commission may meet in the Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building.
Section 7. Members of the Commission shall receive subsistence and travel expenses at the rates set forth in G.S. 120-3.1.
Section 8. The Commission may contract for professional, clerical, or consultant services as provided by G.S. 120-32.02.  The Legislative Services Commission, through the Legislative Administrative Officer, shall assign professional staff to assist in the work of the Commission. The House of Representatives' and the Senate's Supervisor of Clerks shall assign clerical staff to the commission or committee, upon the direction of the Legislative Services Commission.  The expenses relating to clerical employees shall be borne by the Commission.
Section 9.  When a vacancy occurs in the membership of the Commission the vacancy shall be filled by the same appointing officer who made the initial appointment.
Section 10.  All State departments and agencies and local governments and their subdivisions shall furnish the Commission with any information in their possession or available to them.
Section 11.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the General Assembly the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for the 1997-98 fiscal year and the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for the 1998-99 fiscal year for the expenses of the Commission.
Section 12.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1997.