Establish AAPI Heritage Commission.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 704

Short Title: Establish AAPI Heritage Commission. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Cervania, Liu, and Goodwin (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
April 3, 2025
*H704-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE 2
COMMISSION IN THE DE PARTMENT OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL 3
RESOURCES AND TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE COMMISSION. 4
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
SECTION 1. Article 2 of Chapter 143B of the General Statutes is amended by adding 6
a new Part to read: 7
"Part 30B. Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Commission. 8
"§ 143B-135.7. Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Commission established. 9
(a) Creation and Duties. – There is created the Asian American and Pacific Islander 10
Heritage Commission in the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to advise and assist 11
the Secretary of Natural and Cultural Resources in the preservation, interpretation, and promotion 12
of Asian American and Pacific Islander history, arts, and culture. The Commission shall have the 13
following powers and duties: 14
(1) Advise the Secretary of Natural and Cultural Resources on methods and 15
means of preserving Asian American a nd Pacific Islander history, arts, and 16
culture. 17
(2) Promote public awareness of historic buildings, sites, structures, artwork, and 18
culture associated with North Carolina's Asian American and Pacific Islander 19
heritage through special programs, exhibits, and publications. 20
(3) Support Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage education in elementary 21
and secondary schools in coordination with North Carolina Public Schools. 22
(4) Build a statewide network of individuals and groups interested in the 23
preservation of Asian American and Pacific Islander history, arts, and culture. 24
(5) Develop a program to catalog, preserve, assess, and interpret all aspects of 25
Asian American and Pacific Islander history, arts, and culture. 26
(6) Advise the Secretary of Natural and Cultural Resources upon any matter the 27
Secretary may refer to it. 28
(b) Composition and Terms. – The Commission shall consist of nine members who shall 29
serve staggered terms. The initial board shall be selected on or before October 1, 2025, as follows: 30
(1) Four appointed by the Governor, two of whom shall serve terms of three years, 31
one of whom shall serve a term of two years, and one of whom shall serve a 32
term of one year. At least one appointee shall be a member of the North 33
Carolina Historical Commission. 34
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 704-First Edition
(2) Two appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the 1
President Pro Tempore of the Senate, one of whom shall serve a term of three 2
years and one of whom shall serve a term of two years. 3
(3) Two appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the 4
Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall serve a term of 5
two years and one of whom shall serve a term of one year. 6
(4) One appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Natural and Cultural 7
Resources who shall serve a term of three years. 8
Upon the expiration of the terms of the initial Commission members, each member shall be 9
appointed for a three-year term and shall serve until a successor is appointed. 10
(c) Vacancies. – A vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment, 11
except that all unexpired terms appointed by the General Assembly shall be filled in accordance 12
with G.S. 120-122. Appointees to fill vacancies shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term 13
and until their successors have been duly appointed and qualified. 14
(d) Removal. – The Commission may remove any of its members for neglect of duty, 15
incompetence, or unprofessional conduct. A member subject to disciplinary proceedings shall be 16
disqualified from participating in the official business of the Commission until the charges have 17
been resolved. 18
(e) Officers. – The chair shall be designated by the Governor from among the members 19
of the Commission to serve as chair at the pleasure of the Governor. The Commission shall elect 20
annually from its membership a vice -chair and other officers deemed necessary by the 21
Commission to carry out the purposes of this Article. 22
(f) Meetings; Quorum. – The Commission shall meet at least semiannually to conduct 23
business. The Board shall establish the procedures for calling, holding, and conducting regular 24
and special meetings. A majority of Commission members shall constitute a quorum. 25
(g) Compensation. – The Commission members shall receive no salary as a result of 26
serving on the Commission but shall receive per diem, subsistence, and travel expenses in 27
accordance with the provisions of G.S. 120-3.1, 138-5, and 138-6, as applicable." 28
SECTION 2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 29
Natural and Cultural Resources the sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) in 30
recurring funds for each year of the 2025 -2027 fiscal biennium to support the operations of the 31
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Commission, including a director and an associate 32
director, established in Section 1 of this act. The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources 33
shall provide necessary clerical and administrative support services to the Commission. 34
SECTION 3. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 35