Title: H1635 [Ratified]
Category: Introduced Bill 2005

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2005

HOUSE BILL 1635
RATIFIED BILL

AN ACT amending the laws pertaining to displaced homemakers and increasing the fee which funds the north carolina fund for displaced homemakers.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 143B‑394.4 reads as rewritten:
"§ 143B‑394.4.  Definitions.
As used in this Part, unless the context otherwise requires:
(1)	"Center" means any multi‑purpose  facility or program serving displaced homemakers.
(2)	"Council" means the North Carolina Council for Women.
(3)	"Department" means the Department of Administration.
(4)	"Displaced homemaker" means an individual who:
a.	Has worked in his or her own household and has provided unpaid household services; and
b.	Is unable to secure gainful employment due to the lack of required training, age, or experience; or is unemployed, or underemployed; and
c.	Has been dependent on the income of another household member but is no longer adequately supported by that income, or is receiving support  but is within two years of losing the support, or has been supported by public assistance as the parent of minor children and is no longer eligible."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 143B‑394.5 reads as rewritten:
"§ 143B‑394.5.  Establishment of center; location.
The Council shall establish or contract for the establishment of a pilot center for displaced homemakers. "
SECTION 3.  Part 10B of Article 9 of Chapter 143B of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 143B‑394.5A.  Location of displaced homemaker centers; grant criteria.
(a)	The Council shall consider the location of displaced homemaker centers based on the probable number of displaced homemakers in an area, the availability of resources for training and education, and viable living wage job opportunities.
(b)	The Council shall make grants to displaced homemaker centers in accordance with this section and G.S. 143B‑394.10. The Council shall establish criteria, including a baseline cost of basic center operations, to determine grant award categories. The grant criteria shall incorporate displaced homemaker program operational costs based on the location, program delivery capacities, and the probable number of displaced homemakers served in an area."
SECTION 4.  G.S. 143B‑394.10 reads as rewritten:
"§ 143B‑394.10.  North Carolina Fund for Displaced Homemakers.
(a)	There is established in the Department of Administration the North Carolina Fund for Displaced Homemakers. The Fund shall be administered by the North Carolina Council for Women in accordance with Article 1 of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes and shall be used to make grants to up to 35 centers for displaced homemakers. The Council shall make quarterly grants to no more than 35 eligible centers. Grants shall be awarded according to criteria established by the Council pursuant to G.S. 143B‑394.4(4) and G.S. 143B‑394.5A. The Council shall use no more than ten percent (10%) of these funds for administrative costs. To be eligible to receive grant funds under this section, a displaced homemaker center shall fulfill all of the criteria established by the Council and shall have been operational for at least two years. The Council shall report annually to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations on the revenues credited to the Fund, the programs receiving grants from the Fund, the success of those programs, and the costs associated with administering the Fund.
(b)	The Department, upon recommendations by the Council, shall adopt rules to implement the North Carolina Fund for Displaced Homemakers."
SECTION 5.  G.S. 7A‑305(a2) reads as rewritten:
"(a2)	In every  action for absolute divorce filed in the district court, a cost of fifty‑five dollars ($55.00) shall be assessed against the person filing the divorce action. Costs collected by the clerk pursuant to this subsection shall be remitted to the State Treasurer for deposit to the North Carolina Fund for Displaced Homemakers established under G.S. 143B‑394.10. Costs assessed under this subsection shall be in addition to any other costs assessed under this section."
SECTION 6.  Section 5 of this act becomes effective October 1, 2005, and applies to actions for absolute divorce filed on or after that date. The remainder of this act becomes effective October 1, 2005.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 23^rd day of August, 2005.

	_____________________________________
		 Beverly E. Perdue
	 President of the Senate

	_____________________________________
		 James B. Black
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives

	_____________________________________
		 Michael F. Easley
	 Governor

Approved __________.m. this ______________ day of ___________________, 2005

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