GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2001

HOUSE BILL 1144
RATIFIED BILL

AN ACT TO REVISE THE PROCEDURE BY WHICH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ELECTS THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA.  

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.   G.S. 116‑6 reads as rewritten:
"§ 116‑6.  Election and terms of members of Board of Governors.
(a)	As the terms of members of the Board of Governors provided for in G.S. 116‑5 expire, their successors shall be elected by the Senate and House of Representatives. Sixteen members shall be elected at the regular legislative session in 1993 and every two years thereafter. The Senate and the House of Representatives shall each elect one‑half of the persons necessary to fill the vacancies on the Board of Governors. 
	(c)	In electing members to the Board of Governors, the Senate and the House of Representatives shall select from a slate of candidates made in each house. The slate shall be prepared as provided by resolution of each house. If a sufficient number of nominees who are legally qualified are submitted, then the slate of candidates shall list at least twice the number of candidates for the total seats open. All qualified candidates shall compete against all other qualified candidates. In 1993 and biennially thereafter, each house shall hold their elections within 30 legislative days after appointments to their education committees are complete.
(d)	All terms shall commence on July 1 of odd‑numbered years and all members shall serve for four‑year overlapping terms.
(e)	No person may be elected to:
(1)	More than three full four‑year terms in succession;
(2)	A four‑year term if preceded immediately by election to two full eight‑year terms in succession; or
(3)	A four‑year term if preceded immediately by election to an eight‑year term and a four‑year term in succession.
Resignation from a term of office does not constitute a break in service for the purpose of this subsection. Service prior to the beginning of those terms in 1989 shall be included in the limitations.
(f)	Any person who has served at least one full term as chairman of the Board of Governors shall be a member emeritus of the Board of Governors for one four‑year term beginning at the expiration of that member's regular elected term. Any person already serving as an emeritus member may serve an additional four‑year term beginning July 1, 1991. Members emeriti have all the rights and privileges of membership except they do not have a vote.
(g)	Effective July 1, 1991, and thereafter, any person who has served at least one term as a member of the Board of Governors after having served as Governor of North Carolina shall be a member emeritus of the Board of Governors, with all the rights and privileges of membership as in G.S. 116‑6."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 116‑7(a) reads as rewritten:
"§ 116‑7.  General provisions concerning members of the Board of Governors.
(a)	All members of the Board of Governors shall be selected for their interest in, and their ability to contribute to the fulfillment of, the purposes of the Board of Governors, and all members shall be deemed members‑at‑large, charged with the responsibility of serving the best interests of the whole State. In electing members, the objective shall be to obtain the services of the citizens of the State who are qualified by training and experience to administer the affairs of The University of North Carolina. Members shall be selected based upon their ability to further the educational mission of The University through their knowledge and understanding of the educational needs and desires of all the State's citizens, and their economic, geographic, political, racial, gender, and ethnic diversity."
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.  Sections 1 and 2 apply to elections held on and after that date.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 6th day of December, 2001.

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		 Marc Basnight
	 President Pro Tempore of the Senate

	_____________________________________
		 James B. Black
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives

	_____________________________________
		 Michael F. Easley
	 Governor

Approved __________.m. this ______________ day of ___________________, 2001