GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

EXTRA SESSION 1994

S	1 

SENATE BILL 56

Short Title:  Study Causes of Crime.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senators Forrester; Cochrane, Hartsell, Carpenter, Warren, Gunter, and Hoyle.
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Referred to:  Corrections/Punishment.
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February 10, 1994

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO CREATE THE LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION ON THE CAUSES OF CRIME IN NORTH CAROLINA AND TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR THE COMMISSION.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  There is created the Legislative Commission on the Causes of Crime in North Carolina to be composed of 15 members: six Senators to be appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate; six Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; the Secretary of the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety; the Secretary of the Department of Human Resources; and the Attorney General.  The President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each designate a cochair from their appointees.  The Commission may meet at any time upon the joint call of the cochairs.
Sec. 2.  The Commission shall:
(1)	Review available information regarding the causes of crime in North Carolina, including relevant criminological, behavioral, sociological, and social sciences data, and other pertinent information on crime;
(2)	Conduct public hearings on the causes of crime in North Carolina;
(3)	Review studies regarding the causes of crime conducted by public and private entities of other jurisdictions; and
(4)	Develop legislative recommendations calculated to address effectively the root causes of crime in North Carolina.
Sec. 3.  With the prior approval of the Legislative Services Commission, the Legislative Administrative Officer shall assign professional and clerical staff to assist in the work of the Commission.  Clerical staff shall be furnished to the Commission through the Offices of the House and Senate Supervisors of Clerks.  The expenses of employment of the clerical staff shall be borne by the Commission.  The Commission may contract for consultant services as provided by G.S. 120-32.02.  With the prior approval of the Legislative Services Commission, the Commission may hold its meetings in the State Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building.
Sec. 4.  The Commission shall submit a final written report of its findings and recommendations on or before the convening of the 1995 Session of the General Assembly.  The report shall be filed 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.  Members of the Commission shall be paid per diem, subsistence, and travel allowances as follows:
(1)	Commission members who are members of the General Assembly, at the rate established in G.S. 120-3.1; and
(2)	Commission members who are officials or employees of the State, at the rate established in G.S. 138-6.
Sec. 6. All State departments and agencies and local governments and their subdivisions shall furnish the Commission and its staff with any information in their possession or available to them.
Sec. 7.  Vacancies on the Commission shall be filled as follows:
(1)	For Commission members who are members of the General Assembly, by the same appointing officer who made the initial appointment; and
(2)	For Commission members who are public officials, with the official's successor in office.
Sec. 8.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the General Assembly the sum of seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) for the 1994-95 fiscal year for the expenses of the Commission on the Causes of Crime in North Carolina.
Sec. 9.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1994.