GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
1997 SESSION
S.L. 1997-332
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. G.S. 58-36-75(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a) The subclassification
plan promulgated pursuant to G.S. 58-36-65(b) may provide for separate
surcharges for major, intermediate, and minor accidents. A 'major
accident' is an at-fault accident that results in either (i) bodily injury or
death or (ii) only property damage of two thousand dollars ($2,000) two
thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) or more. An 'intermediate
accident' is an at-fault accident that results in only property damage of more
than one thousand dollars ($1,000) one thousand five hundred dollars
($1,500) but less than two thousand dollars ($2,000). two
thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500). A 'minor accident' is an
at-fault accident that results in only property damage of one thousand
dollars ($1,000) one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) or
less. The subclassification plan may also exempt certain minor accidents
from the Facility recoupment surcharge. The Bureau shall assign
varying Safe Driver Incentive Plan point values and surcharges for bodily
injury in at-fault accidents that are commensurate with the severity of the
injury, provided that the point value and surcharge assigned for the most
severe bodily injury shall not exceed the point value and surcharge assigned to
a major accident involving only property damage."
Section 2. The North Carolina Rate Bureau shall amend the subclassification plan to implement the provisions of this act no later than October 1, 1997. The amendments to the plan become effective January 1, 1998, and apply to at-fault accidents that occur on or after that date. With respect to any at-fault accidents occurring prior to January 1, 1998, the surcharge and period for which the surcharge is applied and collected shall be determined by the subclassification plan in effect at the time the at-fault accident occurred.
Section 3. This act is effective when it becomes law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 16th day of July, 1997.
s/ Dennis A. Wicker
President of the Senate
s/ Harold J. Brubaker
Speaker of the House of Representatives
s/ James B. Hunt, Jr.
Governor
Approved 10:55 a.m. this 25th day of July, 1997