(a) The Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources shall examine on a continuing basis the services provided by the departments and agencies set out in this subsection in order to make ongoing recommendations to the General Assembly on ways to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and quality of State government services. The Committee has the following powers and duties:

(1) Study the programs, organization, operations, and policies of the following agencies:

a. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

b. Department of Environmental Quality.

c. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

d. Wildlife Resources Commission.

e. Department of Labor.

f. Department of Commerce.

g. Any other agency under the jurisdiction of the Senate and House of Representatives appropriations committees on agriculture, natural, or economic resources.

Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 120-311

  • following: when used by way of reference to any section of a statute, shall be construed to mean the section next preceding or next following that in which such reference is made; unless when some other section is expressly designated in such reference. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories, so called; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the said district and territories and all dependencies. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
  • Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.

(2) Review compliance of budget actions directed by the General Assembly.

(3) Monitor expenditures, deviations, and changes made by the agencies set out in subdivision (1) of this subsection to the certified budget.

(4) Review policy changes as directed by law.

(5) Receive presentations of reports from agencies directed in the law, including audits, studies, and other reports.

(6) Review any issues that arise during the interim period between sessions of the General Assembly and provide a venue for any of these issues to be heard in a public setting.

(7) Monitor the quality of services provided by cultural, natural, and economic resources agencies to other agencies and the public.

(8) Identify opportunities for cultural, natural, and economic resources agencies to coordinate and collaborate to eliminate duplicative functions.

(9) Have presentations and reports on any other matters that the Committee considers necessary to fulfill its mandate.

(b) The Committee may make reports to the General Assembly. A report to the General Assembly may contain legislation needed to implement a recommendation of the Committee. (2015-241, s. 15.24.)