A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO REESTABLISH THE RURAL OBSTETRICAL CARE INCENTIVE FUND.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services the sum of two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) for the 2003‑2004 fiscal year and the sum of two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) for the 2004‑2005 fiscal year.  These funds shall be used to reestablish the Rural Obstetrical Care Incentive Fund as provided in this act.
SECTION 1.(b)  The Rural Obstetrical Care Incentive Fund shall be established within the Office of Rural Health and shall be used to make grants to physicians who are practicing in rural and underserved areas of the State and are adversely affected by the high cost of liability insurance. The grants shall be used solely for the purpose of subsidizing in whole or in part the costs associated with obtaining or maintaining liability insurance for physicians in rural and underserved health care manpower shortage areas of the State as defined by the Office of Rural Health. The Office of Rural Health shall establish guidelines for administering grant funds.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2003.