State auditor asks House to allow additional exempt policy-making positions tied to budget bill

State Auditor Dave Bolick notified the North Carolina House on July 31 that his office has "exhausted the 25 exempt policy making designations allotted" under North Carolina law and is requesting permission to designate additional exempt policy-making positions if the legislature enacts House Bill 125.

Bolick made the request in a letter read into the record by the Clerk and addressed to "Speaker Hall." The letter said the additional designations would be for positions "funded by section 2(e)(2)(h) of House Bill 125 if that bill becomes law." The text read in the chamber states: "I have exhausted the 25 exempt policy making designations allotted to the state auditor by NCGS 126-5(d)(2)(a). Accordingly, I am requesting to designate additional positions as exempt policy making positions under the State Human Resources Act, specifically these positions funded by section 2(e)(2)(h) of House Bill 125 if that bill becomes law." The letter was signed, "Sincerely, Dave Bolick, state auditor."

The Presiding Officer noted the letter and directed that it be placed on file in the Clerk's office; there was no floor debate and no formal action was taken on the request during the session. The document was entered into the House record for later consideration as needed.

Background: under the cited statute, the State Auditor may designate a limited number of positions as "exempt policy-making" for personnel and classification purposes. Bolick's letter indicates his office would link any new exempt designations to positions funded in HB125. The letter itself does not commit the legislature to approve such designations; any change would depend on action the House or relevant committees take once the bill's provisions are effective.

No timeline was given in the chamber for further consideration. The clerk's notation places the request on file for the legislative record.