GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1991

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 142

Short Title:  Park Improvement Plan.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives N. J. Crawford, DeVane, and Foster; Colton, J. W. Crawford, Greenwood, Miller, Nesbitt, and Smith.
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Referred to:  Appropriations.
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February 21, 1991

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A PARK IMPROVEMENT PLAN (PIP) FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AT STATE PARKS AND RECREATION AREAS AND TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THE INITIAL PHASE OF THE PLAN.
Whereas, Section 5 of Article 14 of the State Constitution states that it shall be a proper function of the State of North Carolina to acquire and preserve park, recreational, and scenic areas, and in every other appropriate way to preserve as a part of the common heritage of this State its openlands and places of beauty;
Whereas, the General Assembly enacted the State Parks Act in 1987, declaring that the State of North Carolina offers unique archaelogic, geologic, biologic, scenic, and recreation resources, and that such resources are part of the heritage of the people of the State to be preserved and managed by those people for their use and for the use of their visitors and descendants; and
Whereas, the General Assembly has directed that the tax dollars of the State should be expended in an efficient manner to assure that the State Parks System is adequate to accomplish these goals; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. The General Assembly finds that the creation of a "Park Improvement Plan" to provide for capital improvement projects at State Parks and Recreation Areas is in keeping with the highest purposes of public policy and in concert with Constitutional provisions and State law.
Sec. 2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, the sum of $15,000,000 for the fiscal year 1991-92 and the sum of $15,000,000 for the fiscal year 1992-93 to begin the initial phase of capital projects under the Park Improvement Plan. The initial phase of the capital projects shall be based on a priority list as complied by the Division of Parks and Recreation.
Sec. 3. This act becomes effective July 1, 1991.