120C-101. Rules and forms.
(a) The Commission shall adopt any rules or definitions necessary to interpret the provisions of this Chapter and adopt any rules necessary to administer the provisions of this Chapter, except for Articles 2, 4 and 8 of this Chapter. The Secretary of State shall adopt any rules, orders, and forms as are necessary to administer the provisions of Articles 2, 4 and 8 of this Chapter. The Secretary of State may appoint a council to advise the Secretary in adopting rules under this section.
(b) With respect to the forms adopted under subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary of State shall adopt rules to protect from disclosure all confidential information under Chapter 132 of the General Statutes related to economic development initiatives or to industrial or business recruitment activities. The information shall remain confidential until the State, a unit of local government, or the business has announced a commitment by the business to expand or locate a specific project in this State or a final decision not to do so, and the business has communicated that commitment or decision to the State or local government agency involved with the project.
(c) In adopting rules under this Chapter, the Commission is exempt from the requirements of Article 2A of Chapter 150B of the General Statutes, except that the Commission shall comply with G.S. 150B-21.2(d). At least 30 business days prior to adopting a rule, the Commission shall:
(1) Publish the proposed rules in the North Carolina Register.
(2) Submit the rule and a notice of public hearing to the Codifier of Rules, and the Codifier of Rules shall publish the proposed rule and the notice of public hearing on the Internet to be posted within five business days.
(3) Notify those on the mailing list maintained in accordance with G.S. 150B-21.2(d) and any other interested parties of its intent to adopt a rule and of the public hearing.
(4) Accept written comments on the proposed rule for at least 15 business days prior to adoption of the rule.
(5) Hold at least one public hearing on the proposed rule no less than five days after the rule and notice have been published.
A rule adopted under this subsection becomes effective the first day of the month following the month the final rule is submitted to the Codifier of Rules for entry into the North Carolina Administrative Code, and applies prospectively. A rule adopted by the Commission that does not comply with the procedural requirements of this subsection shall be null, void, and without effect. For purposes of this subsection, a rule is any Commission regulation, standard, or statement of general applicability that interprets an enactment by the General Assembly or Congress, or a regulation adopted by a federal agency, or that describes the procedure or practice requirements of the Commission.
(d) For purposes of G.S. 150B-21.3(b2), a written objection filed by the Commission to a rule adopted by the Secretary of State pursuant to this Chapter shall be deemed written objections from 10 or more persons under that statute. Notwithstanding G.S. 150B-21.3(b2), a rule adopted by the Secretary of State pursuant to this Chapter objected to by the Commission under this subsection shall not become effective until an act of the General Assembly approving the rule has become law. If the General Assembly does not approve a rule under this subsection by the day of adjournment of the next regular session of the General Assembly that begins at least 25 days after the date the Rules Review Commission approves the rule, the permanent rule shall not become effective and any temporary rule associated with the permanent rule expires. If the General Assembly fails to approve a rule by the day of adjournment, the Secretary of State may initiate rulemaking for a new permanent rule, including by the adoption of a temporary rule. (1991, c. 740, s. 1.1; 2005-456, s. 1; 2006-201, s. 18; 2007-348, s. 9; 2008-213, s. 9; 2010-169, s. 16.)
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Last modified: March 23, 2014