A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to grant members and veterans of the military free admission to state‑operated museums and state parks, to authorize a member of the armed forces or of RESERVE components of the armed forces to renew a drivers license upon receipt of deployment orders, and to allow a thirty‑day grace period for an expired license upon release from active duty.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 121‑7.3 reads as rewritten:
"§ 121‑7.3.  Admission fees.
(a)	Subject to subsection (b) of this section, theDepartment of Cultural Resources may charge a reasonable admission fee to any museum administered by the Department. Admission fees collected under this section are receipts of the Department and shall be deposited in a nonreverting account. The Department shall retain unbudgeted receipts at the end of each fiscal year, beginning June 30, 2004, and shall deposit these receipts into the account. Funds in the account shall be used to support a portion of each museum's operation. The Secretary may adopt rules necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. The Department shall provide a quarterly report to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations as to the Department's or museums' anticipated use of funds or expenditures of funds pursuant to this section.
(b)	Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, the Department of Cultural Resources shall not charge any current member or veteran of the military an admission fee to any museum administered by it. The Department may require proof that a person is a member of the military or a veteran and may designate forms of identification that will constitute sufficient evidence of this fact.
(c)	As used in this section, "military" means the active and reserve components of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, North Carolina Army National Guard, North Carolina Air National Guard, Merchant Marine, and Coast Guard."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 143B‑73(2) reads as rewritten:
"(2)	The U.S.S. North Carolina Battleship Commission shall have the power and duty to establish standards and adopt rules and regulations: (i) establishing and providing for a proper charge for admission to the ship, subject to G.S. 121‑7.3(b); and (ii) for the maintenance and operation of the ship as a permanent memorial and exhibit."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 143B‑73.1 reads as rewritten:
"§ 143B‑73.1.  U.S.S. North Carolina Battleship Commission – duties.
The Commission shall have the further duty and authority to select an appropriate site for the permanent berthing of the Battleship U.S.S. North Carolina, taking into consideration factors including, but not limited to, the accessibility, location in relation to roads and highways, scenic attraction, protection from hazards of weather, fire and sea, cost of site and berthing, cooperation of local governmental authorities in securing, equipping, and maintaining appropriate areas surrounding the site, and others which may affect the suitability of such site for establishment of the ship as a permanent memorial and exhibit; to accept gifts, grants, and donations for the purposes of this Article; to transport to, and berth the ship at the site; to ready the ship for visitation by the public; subject to G.S. 121‑7.3(b), to establish and provide for a proper charge for admission to the ship, and for safekeeping of funds; to maintain and operate the ship as a permanent memorial and exhibit; to acquire property, both real and personal, with the approval of the Governor and the Council of State,  and to accept donations of property, both real and personal, from any source; to establish, supervise, manage and maintain in New Hanover County with the approval and assistance of the Department of Cultural Resources exhibits, dramas, cultural activities, museums, and records pertaining to the marine and naval history of the State of North Carolina and the United States of America; to identify, preserve and protect properties having historical, marine and naval significance to New Hanover County, the State, its communities and counties and the nation; to establish and provide for a proper charge for admission to all properties maintained and operated by the Commission in New Hanover County; to otherwise provide in carrying out its duties for the establishment of appropriate activities to encourage interest in the marine and naval history of North Carolina; to perpetuate the memory of North Carolinians who gave their lives in the course of World War II and in the events in which the battleship was a participant, and to allocate funds for the fulfillment of the duties and authority herein provided as may be necessary and appropriate for the purpose of this Article."
SECTION 4.  Article 2C of Chapter 113 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 113‑44.16.  No admission fee for military.
(a)	The Department shall not charge any current member or veteran of the military an admission fee to any State park administered by it. The Department may require proof that a person is a member of the military or a veteran and may designate forms of identification that will constitute sufficient evidence of this fact.
(b)	As used in this section, "military" means the active and reserve components of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, North Carolina Army National Guard, North Carolina Air National Guard, Merchant Marine, and Coast Guard."
SECTION 5.  G.S. 20‑4.01 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(33c)	Reserve components of the Armed Forces of the United States. – The organizations listed in Title 10 United States Code, section 10101, which specifically includes the Army and Air National Guard."
SECTION 6.  G.S. 20‑7(f) reads as rewritten:
"(f)	Duration and Renewal of Licenses. – Drivers licenses shall be issued and renewed pursuant to the provisions of this subsection:
…
(3b)	Renewal for certain members of the Armed Forces and reserve components of the Armed Forces.
a.	The Division may renew a drivers license, without limitation on the period of time before the license expires, if the person applying for renewal is a member of the Armed Forces or of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States and provides orders that place the member on active duty and duty station outside this State.
b.	A person who is a member of the Armed Forces or of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States whose license bears an expiration date that occurred while the person was on active duty outside this State shall be considered to have a valid license until 30 days after the date of release from active duty upon showing proof of the release date, unless the license was rescinded, revoked, or otherwise invalidated under some other provision of law.
(4)	Renewal by mail. – The Division may renew by mail a drivers license issued by the Division to a person who meets any of the following descriptions:
a.	Is a member of the Armed Forces or a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States serving on active duty and is stationed outside this State.
b.	Is a resident of this State and has been residing outside the State for at least 30 continuous days.
When renewing a license by mail, the Division may waive the examination that would otherwise be required for the renewal and may impose any conditions it finds advisable. A license renewed by mail is a temporary license that expires 60 days after the person to whom it is issued returns to this State.
…."
SECTION 7.  G.S. 20‑7(r) reads as rewritten:
"(r)	Waiver of Vision Test. – The following license holders shall be exempt from any required eye exam when renewing a drivers license by mail under either subsection (f) of this section or subsection (q) of this section if, at the time of renewal, the license holder is serving in a combat zone or a qualified hazardous duty zone:
(1)	A member of the Armed Forces of the United States.
(2)	A member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States."
SECTION 8.  The Revisor of Statutes shall change the term "armed forces" to "Armed Forces" wherever that term appears in Chapter 20 of the General Statutes.
SECTION 9.  This act is effective when it becomes law, and Sections 5 through 7 apply to all licenses expiring on or after the effective date of this act.