A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to provide additional funds for research and development projects to the wine and grape industry.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 105‑113.81A reads as rewritten:
"§ 105‑113.81A.  Distribution of part of wine taxes attributable to North Carolina wine.
(a)	Industry Promotion. –  The Secretary shall on a quarterly basis credit to the Department of Commerce two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) from the net proceeds of the excise tax collected on unfortified wine. The Department of Commerce shall allocate the funds received under this subsection to the North Carolina Wine and Grape Growers Council to be used to promote the North Carolina grape and wine industry. Any funds credited to the Department of Commerce under this subsection that are not expended by June 30 of any fiscal year do not revert to the General Fund, but remain available to the Department for the uses set forth in this subsection.
(b)	Research and Development. –  The Secretary shall on a quarterly basis credit to the Department of Commerce twenty‑five thousand dollars ($25,000) from the net proceeds of the excise tax collected on unfortified wine. The Department of Commerce shall allocate the funds received under this subsection to the North Carolina Wine and Grape Growers Council to be used to contract for research and development services to improve viticultural and enological practices in North Carolina. Any funds credited to the Department of Commerce under this subsection that are not expended by June 30 of any fiscal year do not revert to the General Fund, but remain available to the Department for the uses set forth in this subsection."
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective October 1, 2008.