NC H916

Authorizes North Carolina cities to establish citizen review boards by ordinance to review appeals of disciplinary actions involving allegations of law enforcement officer misconduct.

Requires review boards to have 5-11 members who are city qualified voters, must complete a citizen's academy and ride-along with an officer within one year, cannot be city employees or immediate family of officers, and must pass criminal background checks.

Board members serve two-year terms without consecutive reappointment, receive no compensation but may be reimbursed for expenses, and must sign confidentiality agreements; breach of confidentiality is a Class 1 misdemeanor with up to $1,000 fine.

Review boards may make findings (sustained, not sustained, exonerated, or unfounded) and recommend policy/training changes, but findings are non-binding on law enforcement leadership and confidential as personnel records.

Boards cannot subpoena witnesses or review county, company, campus, or state special police officers; misconduct is limited to excessive use of force, abuse of power, and discriminatory profiling; no state funds may be used; act becomes effective October 1, 2019.