A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ALLOW TAXPAYERS TO CONTRIBUTE INCOME TAX REFUNDS FOR prostate CANCER RESEARCH.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Article 9 of Chapter 105 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 105‑269.7.  Contribution of income tax refund for prostate cancer research.
Any taxpayer entitled to a refund of income taxes under Part 2 of Article 4 of this Chapter may elect to contribute all or part of the refund to the Prostate Cancer Research Fund established under G.S. 130A‑216. The Secretary shall provide appropriate language and space on the income tax form in which to make the election. The Secretary shall include in the income tax instructions an explanation that the contributions will be used for prostate cancer research only. The taxpayer's election becomes irrevocable upon filing the taxpayer's income tax return for the taxable year. The Secretary shall transmit the contributions made pursuant to this section to the State Treasurer for credit to the Prostate Cancer Research Fund."
SECTION 2.  Part 1 of Article 7 of Chapter 130A is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 130A‑216.  Prostate Cancer Research Fund established.
(a)	Fund. – The Prostate Cancer Research Fund is established as a special revenue fund under the State Treasurer. Revenue is credited to the Fund from donations of income tax refunds under G.S. 105‑269.7 and from other donations. Revenues in the Fund may be used only for grants to support prostate cancer research as provided in this section.
(b)	Committee. – The Prostate Cancer Research Fund Committee shall administer the Prostate Cancer Research Fund. The Committee is composed of three members appointed by the Governor, four members appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and four members appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Membership terms on the Committee are two years. Members on the Committee shall serve without compensation.
(c)	Grants. – The Prostate Cancer Research Fund Committee shall receive applications for grants to support prostate cancer research. The Committee shall evaluate grant applications and shall award grants based on available resources in the Fund and the Committee's evaluation of the worthiness of grant applications. The Prostate Cancer Research Fund Committee shall direct the State Treasurer to make disbursements from the Fund for grants that it awards."
SECTION 3.  This act is effective for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2005.