GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

S	1 

SENATE BILL 1467

Short Title:  Rural Tourism Grant Funds.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Senators Jenkins; Dalton and Wellons.

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Referred to:  Appropriations.

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May 28, 1998

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THE RURAL TOURISM GRANT PROGRAM.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Commerce the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for the 1998-99 fiscal year for the Rural Tourism Development Grant Program.  The Department shall establish and implement this Program to provide grants to local governments and nonprofit organizations to encourage the development of new tourism projects and activities in rural areas of the State.  The Department shall develop procedures for the administration and distribution of funds allocated to the Rural Tourism Development Program under the following guidelines:
(1)	Eligible organizations shall make application under procedures established by the Department;
(2)	Eligible organizations shall be nonprofit tourism-related organizations located in the State's rural regions;
(3)	Priority shall be given to eligible organizations that have significant involvement of travel and tourism-related businesses;
(4)	Priority shall be given to eligible organizations serving economically distressed rural counties;
(5)	Priority shall be given to eligible organizations that match funds; and
(6)	Funds shall not be used for renting or purchasing land or buildings, or for financing debt.
No recipient or new tourism project shall receive a total of more than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) of these grant funds for the 1998-99 fiscal year.
Section 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1998.