A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds for the Legislative study commission on television access to state government and to establish that commission.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  There is created the Legislative Study Commission on Television Access to State Government (Commission).  The Commission shall consist of 10 voting members appointed as follows:
(1)	Five members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to include:
a.	Three members of the House of Representatives.
b.	At least one representative of the television medium.
(2)	Five members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, to include:
a.	Three members of the Senate.
b.	At least one representative of the Executive Branch of State Government.
c.	At least one representative of the Judicial Branch of State Governmnet.
SECTION 1.(b)  The Commission shall:
(1)	Review and assess current television access to State Government.
(2)	Review television access to the operations of Federal Government, of State Government in other states, and of local governments in North Carolina.
(3)	Study any other matter the Commission deems relevant.
(4)	Make a final report to the 2009 General Assembly that includes findings, recommendations, and legislative proposals relating to providing television access to the operations of the General Assembly and other branches of State Government.
SECTION 1.(c)  The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall each appoint a cochair for the Commission. The Commission may contract for consultant services as provided by G.S. 120‑32.02. Upon approval of the Legislative Services Commission, the Legislative Services Officer shall assign professional and clerical staff to assist in the work of the Commission. Clerical staff shall be furnished to the Commission through the offices of the House of Representatives and the Senate Directors of Legislative Assistants. The Commission may meet in the Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building upon the approval of the Legislative Services Commission. Members of the Commission shall receive per diem, subsistence, and travel allowances at the rate established in G.S. 120‑3.1. The appointing authority shall fill vacancies. The Commission, while in the discharge of its official duties, may exercise all the powers provided under the provisions of G.S. 120‑19 through G.S. 120‑19.4, including the power to request all officers, agents, agencies, and departments of the State to provide any information, data, or documents within their possession, ascertainable from their records, or otherwise available to them and the power to subpoena witnesses.
SECTION 1.(d)  The Commission shall terminate upon filing its final report.
SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the General Assembly the sum of the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for the 2008‑2009 fiscal year to fund the work of the Legislative Study Commission on Television Access to State Government created by this act.
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2008.