Signed by Governor Josh Stein

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that requires and directs the Environmental Finance Center at UNC Chapel Hill to study water and wastewater regionalization, as well as its benefits, costs, and financial, statutory, or regulatory obstacles.

Highlights:

• Specifies that the Environmental Finance Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Government (EFC) shall study and report on the benefits, costs, and financial, statutory, or regulatory obstacles to regionalization of water and wastewater services across the State. In the report, the EFC shall provide recommendations regarding all of the following ( Sec. 1):

• Legislative or regulatory changes in financial, auditing, or oversight requirements imposed on public water and wastewater systems that will lead to more informed decision making on financial stability of those systems, and the potential of various regionalization measures to address financial instability.

• Particular public water or wastewater systems in the State that would benefit significantly from various regionalization measures.

• Specifies that this act is effective when it becomes law ( Sec. 4).

Full Bill Text