A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to require private organizations to reimburse the state highway patrol for services at events sponsored by the private organizations.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Article 4 of Chapter 20 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 20-196.5.  Reimbursement for services at events sponsored by private organizations.
(a)	When the State Highway Patrol provides traffic control or other ancillary services at a privately sponsored event, the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety shall impose a fee on the private organization sponsoring the event equal to one-half the costs of the services. If more than one private organization sponsors the event, the private organizations are jointly and severally liable for the fee.
(b)	The Department of Crime Control and Public Safety shall calculate the total costs of traffic control and other ancillary services provided by the State Highway Patrol at each event and collect one-half the costs. The Department shall credit these funds to the Highway Fund to pay for the services provided by the State Highway Patrol.
(c)	For purposes of this section, a private organization is an entity that is not owned or operated by the federal government, a state, an agency or a political subdivision of the federal government or a state, or any combination thereof.
(d)	For purposes of this section, an event is a privately sponsored event if one or more private organizations pay at least one-half the total costs of the event."
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2003.