GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1995

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 989

Short Title:  Western Justice Academy Funds.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Representatives R. Hunter, Church, Kiser, McCrary, Hunt, Buchanan, Beall, Ramsey, Thompson, Alexander, Gamble, and Hightower.

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Referred to:  Appropriations.

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April 24, 1995

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR PLANNING, LAND PURCHASE, SITE DEVELOPMENT, AND CONSTRUCTION COSTS IN ESTABLISHING A JUSTICE ACADEMY IN MCDOWELL COUNTY.
Whereas, the North Carolina Justice Academy has offered advanced, in-service training to North Carolina's law enforcement officers for the last 20 years; and
Whereas, the North Carolina Justice Academy's advanced, in-service training has had significant impact in improving the effectiveness of North Carolina's law enforcement officers; and
Whereas, the North Carolina Justice Academy in Salemburg has a long waiting list and cannot meet the requested training needs of all law enforcement officers in the State; and
Whereas, law enforcement officers in Western North Carolina have requested more accessibility to the North Carolina Justice Academy's advanced, in-service training; and
Whereas, during the 1993-94 fiscal year, 2,917 people from Western North Carolina attended courses presented by the North Carolina Justice Academy; and
Whereas, during that same fiscal year, the North Carolina Justice Academy presented 45 courses in Western North Carolina, 71 courses in the Piedmont, and 234 courses in the Eastern part of the State; and
Whereas, a western campus of the North Carolina Justice Academy would serve as a valuable resource to the Department of Correction and other State law enforcement agencies; and
Whereas, by serving students from Winston-Salem to Charlotte westward, a western campus of the North Carolina Justice Academy would help to eliminate the long distances that students from Western North Carolina have to travel for classes offered in Salemburg and encourage those in the west who have not received training to participate in this advanced and in-service training; and
Whereas, a western campus of the North Carolina Justice Academy would also benefit law enforcement officers in Eastern North Carolina by giving them more accessibility to training at the Salemburg campus; and
Whereas, a western campus of the North Carolina Justice Academy in McDowell County would be accessible via Interstate 40, U.S. 221 and N.C. 226, to the western half of North Carolina within approximately two hours; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Justice the sum of thirteen million three hundred twelve thousand dollars ($13,312,000) for the 1995-96 fiscal year for planning, land purchase, site development, and construction costs to establish a western campus of the North Carolina Justice Academy in McDowell County.
Sec. 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1995.