GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1989

S	1 

SENATE BILL 715

Short Title:  Special Drug Prosecution Funds.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senators Soles, Daniel, Basnight, Rauch, Barker, Plyler, Conder, Marvin, Harris; Block, Ezzell, Guy, Hunt of Durham, Hunt of Moore, Johnson of Wake, Martin of Pitt, Murphy, Parnell, Raynor, Richardson, Sands, Sherron, Speed, Staton, Taft, Walker, and Ward.
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Referred to:  Appropriations.
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March 30, 1989

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO CONTINUE A SPECIAL PROGRAM FOR THE PROSECUTION OF DRUG TRAFFICKING OFFENSES MAKING USE OF THE INVESTIGATIVE GRAND JURY.
Whereas, a special drug prosecution program was funded by a federal grant to the State of North Carolina for a period of two years expiring in October 1989; and
Whereas, this program has specialized in the use of the recently created Drug Trafficking Investigative Grand Jury, as authorized in G.S. 15A-622(h), and has provided specialized prosecutorial services to nearly one-third of the prosecutorial districts in the State; and
Whereas, said program has assisted in more than 1,000 indictments for drug trafficking offenses and numerous other drug related offenses, including approximately 50 complex conspiracies, in this State and other states, as well as numerous asset forfeitures; and
Whereas, the Drug Trafficking Investigative Grand Jury authorized by G.S. 15A-622(h) is a new tool with which North Carolina prosecutors have had no prior experience and the special program provides necessary expertise for the use of this important prosecutorial tool; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Administrative Office of the Courts the sum of forty-seven thousand four hundred two dollars ($47,402) for the 1989-90 fiscal year and the sum of sixty-two thousand two hundred dollars ($62,200) for the 1990-91 fiscal year for the purpose of funding a contract for a special drug trafficking prosecution program prosecutor and one-half the cost of a Legal Assistant I.  The special prosecutor and the Legal Assistant I shall be placed in the office of the district attorney of the thirteenth prosecutorial district and shall be assigned as necessary to other prosecutorial districts pursuant to the provisions of G.S. 7A-64. 
Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1989.