Over the past year or so the Carolina Journal has published several articles concerning the large number of boards and commissions in North Carolina, many of which are unnecessary. C.J. editor Rick Henderson wrote a column about the need for elimination of many of the over 400 boards and commissions. John Locke’s Don Carrington also published a report that gives an overview of the most noteworthy ones as well as a look at Perdue’s take on some of the boards.

Just last night S.B. 593, which abolishes a number of boards, commissions and committees in North Carolina, passed its second reading in the Senate.

The bill repeals or abolishes the following because they “have not met recently, are duplicative, or are not deemed critical”: Andrew Jackson Historic Memorial Committee, Aquaculture Advisory Board, Butner Lands Commission, Coordination of Children’s Services Study Commission, Governor’s Advocacy Council on Children and Youth, Governor’s Business Council on the Arts and Humanities, Legislative Intern Program Council,  North Carolina Capital Planning Commission, North Carolina Local Government Advocacy Council, North Carolina Rail Council, Property Tax Subcommittee of the Revenue Laws Study Committee, Public Health Study Commission, Substance Abuse Advisory Council, Task Force on School-based Management, Task Force on the Coordination of Children’s Services, Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Fund Council,  N.C. Aeronautics Council, Future of the N.C. Railroad Study, Legislative Services Commission Subcommittee on Expenditure Model, N.C. Public Employee Special Pay Plan Board of Trustees, Roanoke River Basin Advisory Committee, N.C. Bicycle Committee, Joint Legislative Commission on Future Strategies for N.C., Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Health, Joint Select Committee on Low-Level Radioactive waste, Executive Mansion Fine Arts Committee, Health Insurance Innovations Commission, Historic Site Repairs and Renovations Review Committee, Small Business Environmental Advisory Panel, Committee on Standards and Accountability, N.C. Teacher Academy Board of Trustees,

Also in the bill is that the N.C. Solid Waste Management Capital Projects Financing Agency transfers duties and functions to the Clean Water Management Trust Fund Board of Trustees. And the following groups will terminate on or before July 1, 2011: the Joint Broadband Task Force, the Blue Ribbon Task Force on, State Health Plan For Teachers and State employees, and the Joint Legislative Joining Our Business and Schools Study Commission.

In addition, the N.C. Teaching Fellows Commission will be repealed July 1, 2015 (by then there will no longer be any teaching fellows since this year’s proposed budget cut the program).

Part II of the bill eliminates “certain state boards, committees, and commissions that have met statutory requirements”. A complete list of these can be found starting on page 13 of the bill.