A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE STUDY COMMITTEE ON CIVICS AND ECONOMICS EDUCATION.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is established the Joint Legislative Study Committee on Civics and Economics Education (Committee). The Committee shall consist of three members of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and three members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The President Pro Tempore and the House of the Representatives shall each appoint a cochair of the Committee from among its membership. The Committee and the terms of the members shall expire when the Committee submits a final report to the General Assembly. Members shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing officer.
SECTION 2.  The Committee shall study and make recommendations on the following:
(1)	Ways of improving the civic literacy course required pursuant to G.S. 115C‑81(g).
(2)	How the course described in subdivision (1) of this section could enhance students' financial literacy and understanding of the principles of economics.
(3)	Whether to include as an element of the course a test identical to the civics portion of the naturalization test used by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
(4)	Any other issue the Committee considers relevant to this study.
SECTION 3.  The Committee shall meet upon the call of its cochairs. A quorum of the Committee is a majority of its members. No action may be taken except by a majority vote at a meeting at which a quorum is present. The Committee, while in the discharge of its official duties, may exercise all powers provided for under G.S. 120‑19 and Article 5A of Chapter 120 of the General Statutes. The Committee may contract for professional, clerical, or consultant services, as provided by G.S. 120‑32.02. Members of the Committee shall receive per diem, subsistence, and travel allowance as provided in G.S. 120‑3.1. The expenses of the Committee shall be considered expenses incurred for the joint operation of the General Assembly.
SECTION 4.  The Legislative Services Officer shall assign professional and clerical staff to assist the Committee in its work. The Director of Legislative Assistants of the House of Representatives and the Director of Legislative Assistants of the Senate shall assign clerical support to staff the Committee.
SECTION 5.  The Committee shall submit a final report on the results of its study, including any proposed legislation, to the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives on or before May 1, 2018, by filing a copy of the report with the Office of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, and the Legislative Library. The Committee shall terminate on May 1, 2018, or upon the filing of its final report, whichever occurs first.
SECTION 6.  This act is effective when it becomes law.