S105 - 2021 Appropriations Act. (SL 2021-180)

Overview: Section 11.18 of S.L. 2021-180 directs the Director of the Outdoor Recreation Industry Office—a division of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, Inc.— to develop a statewide outdoor recreation action plan, which includes recommendations for (i) growing the State's existing outdoor recreation companies and for recruiting new outdoor recreation companies to locate in the State; (ii) increasing access to outdoor recreation through additional investments in the State's public lands, including State and local parks, greenways, game lands, and other public lands; (iii) growing the talent pool for the outdoor recreation industry through workforce development initiatives; and (iv) encouraging healthy lifestyles through outdoor recreation activities.

As part of the plan, the Director must develop a statewide mapping tool of the State's outdoor recreation assets. In creating the action plan and mapping tool, the Director must work with the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Health and Human Resources, and the Wildlife Resources Commission.

The Department of Commerce must include information on the Outdoor Recreation Industry Office's development of the action tool and mapping plan in its annual report on the performance of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, Inc. This report is due March 1, 2022, and continues each year thereafter, to the Joint Legislative Economic Development and Global Engagement Oversight Committee, and various other entities.

This section became effective July 1, 2021.