A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds to the board of governors of the university of north carolina to fund the center for bioinformatics at the university of north carolina at charlotte and to provide that the funds for the graduate tuition remission shall be deducted from overhead receipts and the general fund appropriation to the board of governors of the university of north carolina reduced accordingly.
Whereas, the intersection of biology and information technology has created the new field of bioinformatics; and
Whereas, the resulting deluge of information on cellular and biomolecular structures and systems and the requirements for storing and organizing these data are challenging information scientists as never before to develop new techniques and methods for data storage and retrieval, analysis, and visualization; and
Whereas, North Carolina has identified biotechnology as an important economic sector and is developing new initiatives to provide the climate, research, and training needed to attract biotech industry to the State and to commercialize new discoveries; and 
Whereas, in support of these initiatives, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte proposes to establish the Center for Bioinformatics on the Charlotte Research Institute campus, integrating the University's existing research strengths in information security and biology with those in chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science, public policy, sociology, and health‑related sciences; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of thirty‑five million dollars ($35,000,000) for the 2004‑2005 fiscal year to be allocated to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to construct a Bioinformatics Center.
SECTION 2.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina shall deduct the funds for tuition remission from any overhead receipts received by the Board of Governors. Upon receipt of the overhead receipts, the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina shall reduce the General Fund appropriation to the Board of Governors for that fiscal year by an amount equal to the cost of the tuition remission.  This will make an additional thirty‑five million dollars ($35,000,000) available from the General Fund.
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2003.