§ 105A‑2.  Definitions.
The following definitions apply in this Chapter:
(1)	Claimant agency. – Either of the following:
a.	A State agency.
b.	A local agency acting through a clearinghouse or an organization pursuant to G.S. 105A‑3(b1).
(2)	Debt. – Any of the following, except as limited in sub‑subdivision (f.) of this subdivision:
a.	A sum owed to a claimant agency that has accrued through contract, subrogation, tort, operation of law, or any other legal theory regardless of whether there is an outstanding judgment for the sum.
b.	A sum a claimant agency is authorized or required by law to collect, such as child support payments collectible under Title IV, Part D of the Social Security Act.
c.	A sum owed as a result of an intentional program violation or a violation due to inadvertent household error under the Food and Nutrition Services Program enabled by Part 5 of Article 2 of Chapter 108A of the General Statutes.
d.	Reserved for future codification purposes.
e.	A sum owed as a result of having obtained public assistance payments under any of the following programs through an intentional false statement, intentional misrepresentation, intentional failure to disclose a material fact, or inadvertent household error:
1.	The Work First Program provided in Article 2 of Chapter 108A of the General Statutes.
2.	The State‑County Special Assistance Program enabled by Part 3 of Article 2 of Chapter 108A of the General Statutes.
3.	A successor program of one of these programs.
f.	For any school of medicine, clinical program, facility, or practice affiliated with one of the constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina that provides medical care to the general public and for The University of North Carolina Health Care System and other persons or entities affiliated with or under the control of The University of North Carolina Health Care System, the term "debt" is limited to the sum owed to one of these entities by law or by contract following adjudication of a claim resulting from an individual's receipt of hospital or medical services at a time when the individual was covered by commercial insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare Advantage, a Medicare supplement plan, or any other government insurance.
(3)	Debtor. – A person who owes a debt.
(4)	Department. – The Department of Revenue.
(5)	Reserved.
(6)	Local agency. – Any of the following:
a.	A county, to the extent it is not considered a State agency.
b.	A municipality.
c.	A water and sewer authority created under Article 1 of Chapter 162A of the General Statutes.
d.	A regional joint agency created by interlocal agreement under Article 20 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes between two or more counties, cities, or both.
e.	A public health authority created under Part 1B of Article 2 of Chapter 130A of the General Statutes or other authorizing legislation.
f.	A metropolitan sewerage district created under Article 5 of Chapter 162A of the General Statutes.
g.	A sanitary district created under Part 2 of Article 2 of Chapter 130A of the General Statutes.
h.	A housing authority created under Chapter 157 of the General Statutes, provided that the debt owed to a housing authority has been reduced to a final judgment in favor of the housing authority.
i.	A regional solid waste management authority created under Article 22 of Chapter 153A of the General Statutes.
(7)	Net proceeds collected. – Gross proceeds collected through setoff against a debtor's refund minus the collection assistance fees provided in G.S. 105A‑13.
(8)	Refund. – A debtor's North Carolina tax refund.
(9)	State agency. – Any of the following:
a.	A unit of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of State government.
b.	A local agency, to the extent it administers a program supervised by the Department of Health and Human Services or it operates a Child Support Enforcement Program, enabled by Chapter 110, Article 9, and Title IV, Part D of the Social Security Act.
c.	A community college.  (1979, c. 801, s. 94; 1981, c. 724; 1983, c. 922, s. 21.11; 1983 (Reg. Sess., 1984), c. 1034, s. 10.2; 1985, c. 589, s. 33; c. 649, s. 6; c. 747; 1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 1014, s. 63(e), (f); 1987, c. 564, s. 18; c. 578, ss. 1, 2; c. 856, s. 12; 1989, c. 141, s. 2; c. 539, s. 1; c. 699; c. 727, s. 30; c. 770, s. 75.2; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 735, s. 1; 1995, c. 227, s. 1; 1996, 2nd Ex. Sess., c. 18, s. 24.30(d); 1997‑433, ss. 3.3, 11.3; 1997‑443, ss. 11A.118(a), 11A.119(a), 11A.122, 12.26; 1997‑490, s. 1; 1998‑17, s. 1; 1998‑98, s. 38(a); 2002‑156, s. 5(a); 2003‑333, s. 1; 2004‑138, s. 1; 2005‑326, s. 1; 2006‑259, s. 20; 2007‑97, s. 2; 2010‑31, ss. 10.19A(a), 31.8(d); 2011‑365, s. 1; 2012‑88, s. 1; 2013‑382, s. 12.1; 2014‑100, s. 12I.4(a), (b); 2022‑74, s. 9D.15(z).)