GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 421*

Short Title:  Recycling & Composting Poultry.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives James; Bowman, J. Brown, Culp, DeVane, Gardner, Hackney, Hall, H. Hunter, Lutz, R. Thompson, and Weatherly.
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Referred to:  Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House.
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March 11, 1993

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO CREATE A STUDY COMMITTEE TO STUDY RECYCLING AND COMPOSTING OF NONDISEASE-RELATED POULTRY MORTALITIES INTO MARKETABLE PRODUCTS.
Whereas, the North Carolina poultry industry is of great economic importance to the State; and
Whereas, poultry products combined make up the State's number one cash crop; and
Whereas, the poultry industry is the State's largest food industry; and
Whereas, the poultry industry provides thousands of jobs to the State's citizens; and
Whereas, the poultry industry helps stabilize the family farm for many rural citizens; and
Whereas, the poultry industry is one of North Carolina's most efficient industries in recycling both on the farm and in the processing plant; and
Whereas, it is important to the State's economy to assist the industry in its efforts to recycle and environmentally dispose of poultry mortalities; and
Whereas, to further enhance the benefits of the poultry industry to the citizens of North Carolina, a study committee is necessary to study recycling and composting of nondisease-related poultry mortalities into marketable products; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  The Study Commission on Recycling and Composting Poultry Mortalities is created.  The Commission shall consist of 11 members as follows:
(1)	Three Senators appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate;
(2)	Three Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(3)	The Commissioner of Agriculture or his designee;
(4)	The Director of the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service at North Carolina State University or his designee;
(5)	The head of the Poultry Science Department at North Carolina State University or his designee;
(6)	The Chair of the House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture; and
(7)	The Chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture.
Sec. 2.  The President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall designate the Chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture as cochair and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate the Chair of the House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture as cochair.
Sec. 3.  The Commission shall examine the feasibility of recycling and composting nondisease-related poultry mortalities into marketable products and study (i) the potential beneficial agricultural uses of nondisease-related poultry mortalities, (ii) the potential beneficial horticultural uses of nondisease-related poultry mortalities, and (iii) any other beneficial uses of nondisease-related poultry mortalities.
Sec. 4.  The Commission shall submit a final report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly on or before the first day of the 1995 Session of the General Assembly by filing the report with the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.  Upon filing its final report, the Commission shall terminate.
Sec. 5.  The Commission, while in the discharge of official duties, may exercise all the powers provided for under the provisions of G.S. 120-19, and G.S. 120-19.1 through G.S. 120-19.4.  The Commission may meet at any time upon the joint call of the cochairs.  The Commission may meet in the Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building.
Sec. 6. Members of the Commission shall serve without compensation, but they shall be paid per diem and travel expenses in accordance with G.S. 138-5.  Members of the Commission who are legislators shall be reimbursed for subsistence and travel expenses at the rates set forth in G.S. 120-3.1.
Sec. 7. The Commission may contract for professional, clerical, or consultant services as provided by G.S. 120-32.02.  The Legislative Services Commission, through the Legislative Administrative Officer, shall assign professional staff to assist in the work of the Commission. The House of Representatives' and the Senate's Supervisor of Clerks shall assign clerical staff to the Commission upon the direction of the Legislative Services Commission.  The expenses relating to clerical employees shall be borne by the Commission.
Sec. 8. When a vacancy occurs in the membership of the Commission the vacancy shall be filled by the same appointing officer who made the initial appointment.
Sec. 9. All State departments and agencies and local governments and their subdivisions shall furnish the Commission with any information in their possession or available to them.
Sec. 10. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the General Assembly the sum of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) for the 1993-94 fiscal year and the sum of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) for the 1994-95 fiscal year for the expenses of the Commission.
Sec. 11.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1993.