A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT repealing the statutory authority for a local board of education to file a legal action challenging the sufficiency of the funds appropriated by the board of county commissioners.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 115C‑431 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑431.  Procedure for resolution of dispute between board of education and board of county commissioners.
(a)	If the board of education determines that the amount of money appropriated to the local current expense fund, or the capital outlay fund, or both, by the board of county commissioners is not sufficient to support a system of free public schools, the chairman of the board of education and the chairman of the board of county commissioners shall arrange a joint meeting of the two boards to be held within seven days after the day of the county commissioners' decision on the school appropriations.
Prior to the joint meeting, the Senior Resident Superior Court Judge shall appoint a mediator unless the boards agree to jointly select a mediator. The mediator shall preside at the joint meeting and shall act as a neutral facilitator of disclosures of factual information, statements of positions and contentions, and efforts to negotiate an agreement settling the boards' differences.
At the joint meeting, the entire school budget shall be considered carefully and judiciously, and the two boards shall make a good‑faith attempt to resolve the differences that have arisen between them.
(b)	If no agreement is reached at the joint meeting of the two boards, the decision of the county commissioners is final. The local board of education shall not file any legal action challenging the sufficiency of the funds appropriated by the board of county commissioners to the local current expense fund, the capital outlay fund, or both.

	

	

	
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SECTION 2.  G.S. 115C‑432(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	After the board of county commissioners has made its appropriations to the local school administrative unit, or after the procedure set out in G.S. 115C‑431 has been concluded, the board of education shall adopt a budget resolution making appropriations for the budget year in such sums as the board may deem sufficient and proper. The budget resolution shall conform to the uniform budget format established by the State Board of Education."
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with budget ordinances adopted on or after that date.