A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to prohibit the department of transportation from discriminating against motorcyclists when taking certain actions.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Article 2 of Chapter 136 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 136‑18.06.  Discrimination against motorcyclists prohibited.
(a)	Definitions. – The following definitions apply in this section:
(1)	Action. – Formulating transportation policy, adopting rules, allocating funds, and planning, designing, constructing, equipping, operating, and maintaining transportation facilities.
(2)	Discriminates. – Includes any action that prohibits or imposes a requirement that applies only to a motorcyclist, and the principal purpose of the action is to restrict or inhibit the access of a motorcyclist to any highway, bridge, tunnel, or other transportation facility.
(3)	Motorcyclist. – A person operating or riding a motorcycle.
(b)	Discrimination Prohibited. – The Department of Transportation is prohibited from taking any action that discriminates, or has the effect of discriminating, against a motorcyclist.
(c)	Parking. – The Department, and any other owner or operator of a transportation facility funded in whole or in part by State or local funds, shall make reasonable accommodations for motorcycle parking at transportation facilities. The term "reasonable accommodations" includes sectioning portions of an existing parking space where the size configuration of the parking space does not meet building code requirements for full‑size motor vehicles. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as requiring the structural or technological modification of parking structures constructed or substantially completed on or before July 1, 2016.
(d)	Construction. – Nothing in this section shall be construed as altering or superseding any State or federal law that prohibits or imposes a requirement, or has the effect of prohibiting or imposing a requirement, that applies only to a motorcyclist."
SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the Highway Fund to the Department of Transportation the sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2016‑2017 fiscal year to be used to fund costs incurred by the Department in implementing this act.
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2016.