A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO WAKEMED HEALTH & hospitals, a nonprofit corporation, to assign in the formation of the emergency services institute, a hospital‑based, medical emergency preparedness and response institute.
Whereas, WakeMed Health & Hospitals is a multihospital, private, nonprofit teaching and tertiary health care system based in Wake County; and
Whereas, WakeMed is the State Capital's primary health care emergency responder in the event of a disaster; and
Whereas, WakeMed's emergency volumes are the largest in the county for both adults and children and rank in the top three busiest emergency departments statewide; and
Whereas, WakeMed's New Bern Avenue emergency department is the only State‑designated trauma center in Wake County, one of 10 in the State; and
Whereas, the Emergency Services Institute will ensure, as the city's, county's, and seat of government's sole trauma center and only Wake County‑based hospital system, that WakeMed is appropriately staffed, trained, equipped, and positioned to address patient care needs arising from natural and man‑made incidents in its immediate service area; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to WakeMed Health & Hospitals, Inc., the sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000) for the 2004‑2005 fiscal year.  These funds shall be used to assist in the formation of a hospital‑based, medical emergency preparedness and response institute.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2004.