GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
1985 SESSION
CHAPTER 767
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. G.S. 20-39 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(h) The Commissioner, notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter, may lawfully and to the extent necessary, provide local law enforcement officers on special undercover assignments with motor vehicle operator's licenses and motor vehicle registration plates under assumed names using false or fictitious addresses. Such registration plates shall only be used on publicly owned vehicles. Requests for these licenses and registration plates shall be made to the Commissioner by the head of the local law enforcement agency and approved in writing by the Director of the State Bureau of Investigation upon a specific finding by the Director that the request is justified and necessary. The Director shall keep a record of all such licenses, registration plates, assumed names, false or fictitious addresses, and law enforcement officers using the licenses or registration plates, and shall request the immediate return of any license or registration plate that is no longer necessary. Licenses and registration plates provided under this subsection shall expire six months after initial issuance or subsequent validation after the request for extension has been approved in writing by the Director of the State Bureau of Investigation. The head of the local law enforcement agency shall be responsible for the use of the licenses and registration plates and shall return them immediately to the Commissioner for cancellation upon either (i) their expiration, (ii) request of the Director of the State Bureau of Investigation, or (iii) request of the Commissioner. Failure to return a license or registration plates issued pursuant to this subsection shall be punished as a general misdemeanor."
Sec. 2. At no time shall the number of valid licenses and registration plates issued under this act exceed one hundred, and those issued shall be strictly monitored by the Director.
Sec. 3. This act is effective upon ratification.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 15th day of July, 1985.