§ 143B-426.38.  Organization and operation of office.

(a) The State Controller may appoint a Chief Deputy State Controller. The salary of the Chief Deputy State Controller shall be set by the State Controller.

(b) The State Controller may appoint all employees necessary to carry out his powers and duties. These employees shall be subject to the North Carolina Human Resources Act.

(c) All employees of the office shall be under the supervision, direction, and control of the State Controller. Except as otherwise provided by this Part, the State Controller may assign any function vested in him or his office to any subordinate officer or employee of the office.

(d) The State Controller may, subject to the provisions of G.S. 147-64.7(b)(2), obtain the services of independent public accountants, attorneys, qualified management consultants, and other professional persons or experts to carry out his powers and duties. Notwithstanding G.S. 147-17 and G.S. 114-2.3, the State Controller may retain private counsel to represent his or her interests in litigation related to his or her financial management of State appropriations by the General Assembly. Notwithstanding the provisions of G.S. 143C-6-9(b), the State Controller may use lapsed salary savings to retain private counsel to provide litigation services.

(e) The State Controller shall have legal custody of all books, papers, documents, email files, organizational internet domain names, digital files, online website content, and other records of the office.

(f) The State Controller shall be responsible for the preparation of and the presentation of the office budget request, including all funds requested and all receipts expected for all elements of the budget.

(g) The State Controller may adopt regulations for the administration of the office, the conduct of employees of the office, the distribution and performance of business, the performance of the functions assigned to the State Controller and the office of the State Controller, and the custody, use, and preservation of the records, documents, and property pertaining to the business of the office. (1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 1024, s. 1; 2013-382, s. 9.1(c); 2023-134, s. 25.1(a).)