GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1995

S	1 

SENATE BILL 672

Short Title:  Life & Science Museum Funds.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Senators Gulley and Lucas.

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Referred to:  Appropriations

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April 12, 1995

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR A CAPITAL PROJECT AT THE NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF LIFE AND SCIENCE.
Whereas,  the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science developed Field Station Discovery with National Science Foundation support; and
Whereas, the Museum would use its existing 68-acre site to develop Field Station Discovery, a landscape of fields, wetlands, and woodlands with live animals, interactive exhibits, and classroom/laboratories; and
Whereas, the Field Station will include the region's first Butterfly House, a total immersion experience to enhance the understanding of the ecosystem, animal and plant life, and adaptations to the effects of air and wind on the environment; and
Whereas, recent development of the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science has boosted it to a position of national prominence in informal science learning and attracts almost 300,000 visitors each year; and
Whereas, the Museum has proven a valuable resource to parents, teachers, children, and other visitors by enabling them to observe native animals and plants in natural habitats, and by offering other hands-on exhibits, field trips, camp-ins, educational materials, and special exhibits; and
Whereas, the Museum is a powerful regional resource of culture and learning, which serves 100,000 children in school groups from 56 North Carolina counties who visit the Museum annually; helps 46,000 children in their own school classrooms with Museum-designed science educational materials and lessons; teaches 2500 professionals in science training workshops for teachers; and leads undergraduate teachers to science understanding through internships at the Museum; and
Whereas, the Museum provides positive science learning experiences for girls, women, and underrepresented minorities through girl scout camp-ins and activities for at-risk adolescents; and
Whereas, the Museum has brought regional and national attention for North Carolina in that the annual Museum Conference of Science Educators has been held at the Museum, and more than 500,000 publications have been distributed nationwide to teachers, professionals, and parents on sharing science with children; and
Whereas, Durham County and private sources will contribute over $7,000,000 towards the development of Field Station Discovery; and
Whereas, the result of expanding the Museum to include Field Station Discovery will enhance understanding and appreciation of the State's natural environment and improve the ability of North Carolina's citizens to preserve that environment;  Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science the sum of eighty-five thousand dollars ($85,000) for the 1995-96 fiscal year to complete design and construction documents for the structure part of Field Station Discovery, a 68-acre landscape of fields, wetlands, and woodlands to enable visitors to explore the intricacies of nature through hands-on experiments, field trips, camp-ins, and workshops.
Sec. 2. This act becomes effective July 1, 1995.