GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 1991
CHAPTER 1032
AN ACT TO IMPROVE VOTER PARTICIPATION AND TO MAKE CHANGES IN CAMPAIGN REPORTING LAWS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Part 1 - THREE-WEEK REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Section 1. G.S. 163-67 reads as rewritten:
"(a) The county boards of
elections shall establish, prior to January 1, 1971, a full-time system of
registration, as prescribed by the State Board of Elections, under which the
registration books, process, and records shall be open continuously for the
acceptance of registration applications and for the registration of voters at
all reasonable hours and time consistent with the daily function of all other
county offices. In such counties no registration shall entitle a
registrant to vote in any primary, general or special election unless the
registrant shall have made application not later than the twenty-first sixteenth
day, excluding Saturdays and Sundays, immediately preceding such primary,
general or special election, provided that nothing shall prohibit registrants
from registering to vote in future elections during such period.
When full-time registration has been established in a county, the official record of registration shall be made and kept in the form of an application to register which, as prescribed by the State Board of Elections, shall contain all information necessary to show the applicant's qualifications to register. In such a county, no person shall be registered to vote without first making a written, sworn, and signed application to register upon the form prescribed by the State Board of Elections. If the applicant cannot write because of physical disability, his name shall be written on the application for him by the election official to whom he makes application, but the specific reason for the applicant's failure to sign shall be clearly stated upon the face of the application.
Registrars, judges of election, and special registration commissioners appointed under the provisions of G.S. 163-41 may take registration applications from and administer registration oaths to qualified applicants without regard to the precinct residence of the registrar, judge of election, special registration commissioner, or applicant.
Applications to register which have been completed by persons
who have taken the required oath shall be forwarded promptly, and in no case
more than 72 hours after the close of registration, to the county board of
elections. Failure to forward the application within 72 hours shall not
disqualify an otherwise properly qualified voter from voting. An
application to register shall constitute a valid registration unless the county
board of elections shall notify the applicant of its rejection within 30 days
after its completion; provided that where the application is completed during
the last 51 days prior to the election but at least 21 16 days,
excluding Saturdays and Sundays, prior to the election, the notification of
rejection shall be made no less than 14 seven days prior to the
election or the application shall constitute a valid registration. If the
application is rejected after the close of the registration books as provided
in G.S. 163-67(a) the board shall notify the applicant at least 14 seven
days before the election that it has rejected his application. The
applicant may appear before the board and, if he establishes his qualifications
to register prior to the election, he shall be permitted to vote. The
loose-leaf binders containing the precinct records and the duplicate
registration record, required by G.S. 163-65(a), shall be kept at all times in
a safe place.
For the purpose of receiving registration applications,
registrars shall attend the voting places in their precincts only on such days
and at such hours as may be fixed by the county board of elections: Provided,
the county board of elections shall not require registrars to be present at the
voting places for this purpose on any day later than the twenty-first sixteenth
day, excluding Saturdays and Sundays, prior to a primary or election.
In its discretion, the county board of elections may require no attendance by
registrars at the voting places for the purpose of receiving registration
applications.
The county board of elections is authorized to make reasonable rules and regulations, not inconsistent with law and State Board regulations, to insure full-time registration as provided in this section."
Sec. 2. G.S. 163-69.1(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b) A voter whose name
has been changed shall report such change of name to an official authorized to
register voters under G.S. 163-80 no later than the twenty-first day
(excluding Saturdays and Sundays) last day for making application to
register under G.S. 163-67 prior to an election, primary, or special
election in order to vote in said election if the name change occurred on or
before that date. Alternatively, the voter may report such change to the
registrar at the polls, and, if otherwise eligible, may vote. A voter
wishing to vote by absentee ballot may report the name change to the county
board of elections, by mail or in person, along with that voter's application
for absentee ballot; and if otherwise eligible, may vote.
Any report made under this section shall be made under oath, and on a form prescribed by the county board of elections. A name-change form shall be included in any mailing to a voter of an absentee ballot application form."
Sec. 3. G.S. 163-72.2(e) reads as rewritten:
"(e) No report filed under
this section shall be effective for a primary or election unless received by
the board of elections on or before the twenty-first day (excluding
Saturdays and Sundays) last day for making application to register under
G.S. 163-67 before the primary or election, except that if the report is
submitted before the deadline but more information is requested, such report
shall be effective for the primary or election if sufficient information is
received more than 14 seven days before the primary or
election."
Sec. 4. G.S. 163-74(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b) Change of Party
Affiliation or Unaffiliated Status. - No registered elector shall be permitted
to change the record of his party affiliation or unaffiliated status for a
primary, second primary or special or general election after the close of the
registration books immediately prior to any such election. Any registrant
who desires to have the record of his party affiliation or unaffiliated status
changed on the registration book shall, no later than the twenty-first day
(not including Saturdays and Sundays) last day for making application to
register under G.S. 163-67 before the election go to the chairman or the
supervisor of elections of the county board of elections or to other
registration officials specified in G.S. 163-80 and request that the change be
made. Before being permitted to have the change made, the chairman,
supervisor of elections or other registration official shall require the
registrant to take the following oath, and it shall be the duty of the
elections officer to administer it:
(1) If the voter desires to change from one political party to another, or from unaffiliated to a political party:
I, ............., do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I desire in good faith to change my party affiliation from the ............. Party (or from unaffiliated status) to the ............. Party, and that such change of affiliation be made on the registration records in the manner provided by law, so help me, God.
(2) If the voter desires to change his affiliation with any political party to unaffiliated status:
I, ............., do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I desire in good faith to change my party affiliation with the ........... Party to unaffiliated and that such change of affiliation be made on the registration records in the manner provided by law, so help me, God.
Upon receipt of the required oath, the county board of elections shall immediately change the record of the registrant's party affiliation, or unaffiliated status, to conform to that stated in the oath. Thereafter the voter shall be considered registered and qualified to vote in accordance with the effected change.
Provided, in the event that a registrant has the record of
his party affiliation or unaffiliated status changed later than the 21st day
(not including Saturdays and Sundays) last day for making application to
register under G.S. 163-67 before a primary, the registrant shall not be
entitled to vote in that primary."
Sec. 5. G.S. 163-59 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163-59. Right to participate or vote in party primary.
No person shall be entitled to vote or otherwise participate in the primary election of any political party unless he
(1) Is a registered voter, and
(2) Has declared and has had recorded on the registration book or record the fact that he affiliates with the political party in whose primary he proposes to vote or participate, and
(3) Is in good faith a member of that party.
Notwithstanding the previous paragraph, any unaffiliated voter who is authorized under G.S. 163-74(a1) may also vote in the primary if the voter is otherwise eligible to vote in that primary except for subdivisions (2) and (3) of the previous paragraph.
Any person who will become qualified by age or residence to
register and vote in the general election or regular municipal election for
which the primary is held, even though not so qualified by the date of the
primary, shall be entitled to register for the primary and general or regular
municipal election prior to the primary and then to vote in the primary after
being registered. Such person may register not earlier than 60 days nor
later than the 21st day (excluding Saturdays and Sundays) last day
for making application to register under G.S. 163-67 prior to the
primary. In addition, persons who will become qualified by age to
register and vote in the general election or regular municipal election for
which the primary is held, who do not register during the special period may
register to vote after such period as if they were qualified on the basis of
age, but until they are qualified by age to vote, they may vote only in primary
elections."
Sec. 6. G.S. 163-213.2 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163-213.2. Primary to be held; date; qualifications and registration of voters.
On the Tuesday after the first Monday in May, 1992, and every four years thereafter, the voters of this State shall be given an opportunity to express their preference for the person to be the presidential candidate of their political party.
Any person otherwise qualified who will become qualified by
age to vote in the general election held in the same year of the presidential
preference primary shall be entitled to register and vote in the presidential
preference primary. Such persons may register not earlier than 60 days
nor later than the 21st day last day for making application to
register under G.S. 163-67 prior to the said primary. In
addition, persons who will become qualified by age to register and vote in the
general election for which the primary is held, who do not register during the
special period may register to vote after such period as if they were qualified
on the basis of age, but until they are qualified by age to vote, they may vote
only in primary elections."
Sec. 7. G.S. 163-288(c)(3) reads as rewritten:
"(3) METHOD C. - The county
board of elections shall permit the municipal board of elections to copy county
registration books from the precinct binder record or from the duplicate
required to be maintained by said county board of elections. During the period
beginning on the twenty-first day before each municipal election (excluding
Saturdays and Sundays)last day for making application to register under
G.S. 163-67, the municipal board of elections shall compare the municipal
registration books with the appropriate county books and shall add or delete
registration certificates in order that the city and county records shall
agree. The precincts established for municipal elections may differ from
those established by the county board of elections."
Sec. 8. G.S. 163-283 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163-283. Right to participate or vote in party primary.
No person shall be entitled to vote or otherwise participate in the primary election of any political party unless he
(1) Is a registered voter, and
(2) Has declared and has had recorded on the registration book or record the fact that he affiliates with the political party in whose primary he proposes to vote or participate, and
(3) Is in good faith a member of that party.
Notwithstanding the previous paragraph, any unaffiliated voter who is authorized under G.S. 163-74(a1) may also vote in the primary if the voter is otherwise eligible to vote in that primary except for subdivisions (2) and (3) of the previous paragraph.
Any person who will become qualified by age or residence to
register and vote in the general election for which the primary is held, even
though not so qualified by the date of the primary election, shall be entitled
to register while the registration books are open during the regular
registration period prior to the primary and then to vote in the primary after being
registered, provided however, under full-time and permanent registration, such
an individual may register not earlier than 60 days nor later than the 21st
day last day for making application to register under G.S. 163-67 prior
to the primary. In addition, persons who will become qualified by age to
register and vote in the general election for which the primary is held, who do
not register during the special period may register to vote after such period
as if they were qualified on the basis of age, but until they are qualified by
age to vote, they may vote only in primary elections."
Sec. 9. G.S. 163-288.2(a) reads as rewritten:
"§ 163-288.2. Registration in area proposed for incorporation or annexed.
(a) Whenever the General Assembly incorporates a new city and provides in the act of incorporation for a referendum on the question of incorporation or for a special election for town officials or for both, or whenever an existing city or special district annexes new territory under the provisions of Chapter 160A, Article 4A, or other general or local law, the board of elections of the county in which the proposed city is located or in which the newly annexed territory is located shall determine those individuals eligible to vote in the referendum or special election or in the city or special district elections. In determining the eligible voters the board may, in its discretion, use either of the following methods:
METHOD A. - The board of elections shall prepare a list of those
registered voters residing within the proposed city or newly annexed
territory. The board shall make this list available for public inspection
in its office for a two-week period ending on the twenty-first day
(excluding Saturdays and Sundays) last day for making application to
register under G.S. 163-67 before the day of the referendum or special
election, or the next scheduled city or special district election. During
this period, any voter resident within the proposed city or newly annexed
territory and not included on the list may cause his name to be added to the
list. At least one week and no more than two weeks before the day the
period of public inspection is to begin, the board shall cause notice of the
list's availability to be posted in at least two prominent places within the
proposed city or newly annexed territory and may cause the notice to be
published in a newspaper of general circulation within the county. The
notice shall state that the list has been prepared, that only those persons
listed may vote in the referendum or special election, that the list will be
available for public inspection in the board's office, that any qualified voter
not included on the list may cause his name to be added to the list during the
two-week period of public inspection, and that persons in newly annexed
territory should present themselves so their registration records may be
activated for voting in city or special district elections in the newly annexed
territory. Notice may additionally be made on a radio or television
station or both, but such notice shall be in addition to the newspaper and
other required notice.
METHOD B. - The board of elections shall conduct a special
registration of eligible persons desiring to vote in the referendum or special
election or in the newly annexed territory. The registration records
shall be open for a two-week period (except Sundays) ending on the twenty-first
day (excluding Saturdays and Sundays) last day for making application to
register under G.S. 163-67 before the day of the referendum or special
election or the next scheduled city or special district election. On the
two Saturdays during that two-week period, the records shall be located at the
voting place for the referendum or special election or the next scheduled city
or special district election; on the other days it may, in the discretion of
the board, be kept at the voting place, at the office of the board, or at the
place of business of a person designated by the board to conduct the special
registration. At least one week and no more than two weeks before the day
the period of special registration is to begin, the board shall cause notice of
the registration to be posted in at least two prominent places within the
proposed city or newly annexed territory and may cause the notice to be
published in a newspaper of general circulation within the county. The
notice shall state the purpose and times of the special registration, the
location of the registration records, that only those persons registered in the
special registration may vote in the referendum or special election, and that
persons in newly annexed territory should present themselves so their
registration records may be activated for voting in city or special district
elections in the newly annexed territory. Notice may additionally be made
on a radio or television station or both, but such notice shall be in addition
to the newspaper and other required notice."
Part 2 - SATELLITE VOTING PRECINCTS
Sec. 10. Article 12 of Chapter 163 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 163-130. Satellite voting places.
A county board of elections may, upon approval of a request submitted in writing to the State Board of Elections, establish a plan whereby elderly or disabled voters in a precinct may vote at designated sites within the precinct other than the regular voting place for that precinct. The State Board of Elections shall approve a county board's proposed plan if:
(1) All the satellite voting places to be used are listed in the county's written request;
(2) The plan will in the State Board's judgment overcome a barrier to voting by the elderly or disabled;
(3) Adequate security against fraud is provided for; and
(4) The plan does not unfairly favor or disfavor voters with regard to race or party affiliation."
Sec. 10A. G.S. 163-278.9 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163-278.9. Statements filed with Board.
(a) The treasurer of each candidate and of each political committee shall file under verification with the Board the following reports:
(1) Organizational Report. - The appointment of the treasurer as required by G.S. 163-278.7(a), the statement of organization required by G.S. 163-278.7(b), and a report of all contributions and expenditures not previously reported shall be filed with the Board no later than the tenth day following the day the candidate files his notice of candidacy or the tenth day following the organization of the political committee, whichever occurs first. Any candidate whose campaign is being conducted by a political committee which is handling all contributions and expenditures for his campaign shall file a statement with the Board stating such fact at the time required herein for the organizational report. Thereafter, the candidate's political committee shall be responsible for filing all reports required by law.
(2) Preprimary Report. - The treasurer shall file a report with the Board no later than the tenth day preceding the primary election.
(3) Postprimary Report(s).
- The treasurer shall file a report with the Board no later than the tenth 30th
day after the primary election if the candidate was eliminated in the
primary. If there is a second primary, the treasurer shall file a report
with the Board no later than the tenth 30th day after the second
primary election if the candidate was eliminated in the second primary.
(4) Preelection Report. - The treasurer shall file a report with the Board not later than the tenth day preceding the general election.
(5) Repealed by Session Laws 1985, c. 164, s. 1, effective January 1, 1986.
(6) Annual Reports. - If contributions are received or expenditures made during a calendar year, for which no reports are otherwise required by this Article, any and all such contributions and expenditures shall be reported by the last Friday in January of the following year.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in this Article, each report shall be current within seven days prior to the date the report is due and shall list all contributions received and expenditures made which have not been previously reported.
(c) Repealed by Session Laws 1985, c. 164, s. 6.1, effective January 1, 1986.
(d) Candidates and committees for municipal offices in a city with a population of 50,000 or greater, which are required to submit reports by G.S. 163-278.6(18) are not subject to subsections (a), (b) and (c) of this section. Reports for those candidates and committees are covered by Part 2 of this Article.
(e) Notwithstanding subsections (a) through (c) of this section, any political party (including a State, district, county, or precinct committee thereof) which is required to file reports under those subsections and under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (2 U.S.C. 434), shall instead of filing the reports required by those subsections, file with the State Board of Elections:
(1) The organizational report required by subsection (a)(1) of this section, and
(2) A copy of each report required to be filed under 2 U.S.C. 434, such copy to be filed on the same day as the federal report is required to be filed.
(f) Any report filed under subsection (e) of this section may include matter required by the federal law but not required by this Article.
(g) Any report filed under subsection (e) of this section must contain all the information required by G.S. 163-278.8 or G.S. 163-278.11, notwithstanding that the federal law may set a higher reporting threshold.
(h) Any report filed under subsection (e) of this section may reflect the cumulative totals required by G.S. 163-278.11 in an attachment, if the federal law does not permit such information in the body of the report.
(i) Any report or attachment filed under subsection (e) of this section must be made under oath."
Sec. 10B. G.S. 163-278.42 reads as rewritten:
"§ 163-278.42. Distribution of campaign funds; legitimate expenses permitted.
(a) In a general election year in which a presidential election is held, every State chairman of a political party shall disburse fifty percent (50%) of all funds received from the North Carolina Political Parties Financing Fund to that political party. The remaining fifty percent (50%) of such funds shall be allocated by the special committee established by subsection (d) of this section and used for one or more of the purposes permitted by subsection (e) of this section. Any candidate may elect to decline in whole or in part any funds that the party chooses to distribute to the candidate.
(b) In a general election year in which there is not a presidential election, every State chairman of a political party shall disburse fifty percent (50%) of all funds received from the Political Parties Fund to that political party. The remaining fifty percent (50%) of such funds shall be allocated by the special committee established in subsection (d) of this section and used for one or more of the purposes permitted by subsection (e) of this section. Any candidate may elect to decline in whole or in part any funds that the party chooses to distribute to the candidate.
(c) In each year in which no general election is held, every State chairman of a political party shall disburse all funds received from the Political Parties Fund to that political party.
(d) The allocation of the remaining fifty percent (50%) of the funds under subsections (a) or (b) of this section shall be made by a committee composed of the State Chairman of that political party, the Treasurer of that party, the Congressional District Chairmen of that party, and two persons appointed by the State Chairman of that party, and the State Chairman shall serve as Chairman of this committee. The allocation of funds shall be in the sole discretion of the committee, but must be for a purpose permitted by subsection (e) of this section and if allocated to a candidate, shall be disbursed by the State Chairman of that party only to the Treasurer of that candidate or committee appointed under Article 22A of this Chapter or under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, Chapter 14 of Title 2, United States Code.
(e) Funds A
political party shall expend funds distributed from the Political Parties
Fund or from the 'Presidential Election Year Candidates Fund' of a political
party shall only be expended for legitimate campaign
expenses. By way of illustration but not by way of limitation, the
following are examples of legitimate campaign expenses:
(1) Radio, television, newspaper, and billboard advertising for and on behalf of a political party or candidate:
(2) Leaflets, fliers, buttons, and stickers;
(3) Campaign staff salaries, provided each staff member is listed by name and by the amount paid as salary and the amount paid as campaign expense reimbursement;
(4) Travel expenses, lodging and food for candidate and staff;
(4a) Expenses to ensure compliance with federal and State campaign finance and reporting laws;
(4b) Contributions to or expenses on behalf of candidates of that political party;
(5) Party headquarters operations related to upcoming general elections, including the purchase, maintenance and programming of computers to provide lists of voters, party workers, officers, committee members and participants in party functions, patterns of voting and other data for use in general election campaigns and party activities and functions prior thereto, the establishment and updating computer file systems of voter registration lists, State, district, county and precinct officers and committee member lists, party clubs or organization lists, the organizing of voter registration, fund raising and get-out-the-vote programs at the county level when conducted by State party personnel, and the preparation of reports required to be filed by State and federal laws and systems needed to prepare the same and keep records incident thereto.
(f) All moneys and funds previously designated by taxpayers being held by the North Carolina Secretary of Revenue and being held by the North Carolina State Treasurer which moneys and funds have not been disbursed or delivered to a political party as of June 16, 1978, when disbursed shall be allocated by the State Chairman of the political party as follows: sixty-two and one-half percent (62 1/2%) of such funds to the political party for legitimate general election campaign expenditures; thirty-seven and one-half percent (37 1/2%) to the eligible candidates as determined by the committee established under this Article.
(g) It shall be unlawful
for any person, candidate, political committee or political party to use
either directly or indirectly any part of funds distributed from the Political
Parties Fund or the Presidential Election Year Candidates Fund of any political
party for the support or assistance either directly or indirectly of any
candidate in a primary election, for support or assistance relating to the
selection of a candidate at a political convention or by the executive
committee of a party, for the payment or repayment of any debt or obligation of
whatsoever kind or nature incurred by any person, candidate or political
committee in a primary election, the selection of a candidate at a political
convention or by the executive committee of a party, or for the support,
promotion or opposition of a national, State or local referendum, bond election
or constitutional amendment."
Sec. 10C. G.S. 163-278.43 reads as rewritten:
"§
163-278.43. Annual report to State Board of Elections; suspension of
disbursements; willful violations a misdemeanor; adoption of rules. rules;
reporting by candidates and political committees.
(a) The State chairman of
each political party and the treasurer of each candidate or political committee receiving
funds from the Political Parties Fund or the Presidential Election Year
Candidates Fund or both shall maintain a full and complete record of their the
party's receipts and any and all subsequent expenditures and disbursements
thereof, and such shall be substantiated by any records, receipts, and
information that the Executive Director of the State Board of Elections shall
require. Such record shall be centrally located and shall be readily
available at reasonable hours for public inspection. Treasurers of
political committees and candidates shall maintain all such funds received from
the Political Parties Fund or a Presidential Election Year Candidates Fund or
both in a separate account, and shall not allow the same to be commingled with
the funds from any other source.
(b) By December 31 of
each year, the State chairman of each political party receiving funds from the
Political Parties Fund or a Presidential Election Year Candidates Fund and
the treasurer of all other political committees or candidates receiving any
such funds in the 12 preceding months shall file with the State Board of
Elections an itemized statement reporting all receipts, expenditures and
disbursements from the date of the last report and attached to such report
shall be the verification of such chairman or treasurer that all such
funds received were expended in accordance with the provisions of this
Article. If the Executive Secretary of the State Board of Elections
determines and finds as a fact that any such funds were not disbursed or
expended in accordance with this Article, he shall order such political party,
political committee or candidate party to reimburse the amount
improperly expended or disbursed to the General Fund of the State and such
political party, political committee or candidate party shall not
receive further disbursements from the Political Parties Fund or a Presidential
Election Year Candidates Fund until such reimbursement has been accomplished in
full. A copy of any such order shall be forwarded to the State Treasurer,
which shall constitute notice to him to suspend further disbursements from the
campaign fund.
(c) Repealed by Session Laws 1985, c. 259.
(c1) The State Board shall review each application and certify that the political party is eligible to receive the funds requested. The State Board shall establish rules for the administration and enforcement of this Article.
(c2) The treasurer of any political committee or candidate receiving any funds from the Political Parties Fund or a Presidential Election Year Candidates Fund through a political party shall report such receipts as contributions according to the method and timetable set forth in Article 22A of this Chapter. The treasurer shall report disbursements of such funds as expenditures or loans according to the method and timetable set forth in Article 22A of this Chapter. The reports shall be made to the proper board of elections according to Article 22A of this Chapter. There is no requirement that a candidate or a political committee other than a political party shall maintain funds from the Political Parties Fund or a Presidential Election Year Candidates Fund in a separate account.
(d) Repealed by Session Laws 1985, c. 259."
Sec. 10.1. Section 2(a) of Chapter 859, Session Laws of 1991 reads as rewritten:
"(a) The Moore County Board of Elections shall conduct an election on September 15, 1992, for the purpose of submission to the qualified voters of the area described in Section 2.1 of the Charter of Woodlake Village, the question of whether or not such area shall be incorporated as Woodlake Village. Registration for the election shall be conducted in accordance with G.S. 163-288.2. Absentee voting shall be allowed as if the municipal governing body had adopted a resolution under G.S. 163-302 to allow absentee voting."
Sec. 10.2. Section 4 of Chapter 859, Session Laws of 1991 reads as rewritten:
"Sec. 4. On September 15, 1992, the Moore County Board of Elections shall also conduct an election for Village Council of Woodlake Village, provided that unless a majority of votes cast in the election under Section 2 of this act are 'FOR incorporation of Woodlake Village', the election for the Village Council is void. Absentee voting shall be allowed as if the municipal governing body had adopted a resolution under G.S. 163-302 to allow absentee voting. Candidates shall file notice of candidacy no earlier than 12:00 noon on the second Monday in July and no later than 12:00 noon on the first Monday in August."
Sec. 11. Sections 1 through 9 of this act become effective with respect to elections occurring on or after July 1, 1993. Section 10 of this act becomes effective January 31, 1993. Sections 10A through 10C of this act are effective upon ratification. Sections 10.1 and 10.2 of this act are effective upon ratification.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 24th day of July, 1992.
Henson P. Barnes
President Pro Tempore of the Senate
Daniel Blue, Jr.
Speaker of the House of Representatives