A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to create the nature and heritage tourism advisory board and to direct the department of commerce to hire a consultant to make recommendations regarding the operation of state historic and cultural sites.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Article 10 of Chapter 143B of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Part to read:
"Part 2L. Nature and Heritage Tourism Advisory Board.
"§ 143B‑437.110.  Nature and Heritage Tourism Advisory Board.
(a)	Creation. – There is created the Nature and Heritage Tourism Advisory Board, hereinafter referred to in this Part as the Advisory Board. The Advisory Board shall be located administratively within the Division of Tourism, Film, and Sports Development of the Department of Commerce but shall exercise its authority independently of that Department.
(b)	Membership. – The Advisory Board shall consist of nine members who have knowledge and experience of the nature and heritage tourism industry, appointed as follows:
(1)	Three members shall be appointed by the Governor.
(2)	Three members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(3)	Three members shall be appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
(c)	Terms of Office and Vacancies. – Appointed members shall serve four‑year terms of office beginning on September 1. Vacancy appointments shall be made by the appointing authority for the remainder of the term of office.
(d)	Chair and Quorum. – The Advisory Board shall annually elect a chair from among its membership. The chair shall preside over the Advisory Board's meetings. A majority of the Advisory Board constitutes a quorum.
(e)	Staffing and Expenses. – Staff to the Advisory Board shall be provided by the Department of Commerce. Members of the Advisory Board shall be reimbursed for travel and subsistence expenses at the rates allowed to State officers and employees by G.S. 138‑6(a).
(f)	Meetings. – The Advisory Board shall meet upon the call of the chair.
(g)	Powers. – The Advisory Board shall have the power to make recommendations to the Secretary of Commerce and to the General Assembly with respect to the following:
(1)	Methods for increasing nature and heritage tourism to and within the State.
(2)	Methods for increasing the level of private investment in the State's nature and heritage tourism industry.
(3)	Identification of the nature and heritage tourism potential of State‑owned facilities and assets.
(4)	Methods of advertising the State's nature and heritage tourism industry.
(5)	Improvement of interagency cooperation with respect to enhancing and marketing the State's nature and heritage tourism industry."
SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Commerce the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for the 2014‑2015 fiscal year to hire a consultant to review the operation of State historic and cultural sites and to make recommendations for maximizing their value to the citizens of this State while simultaneously reducing the cost to the State for their operation. State agencies and employees shall fully cooperate with the consultant by providing requested information about the operation of State historic and cultural sites. The consultant shall report its findings to the Department of Commerce, to the Department of Cultural Resources, to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, to the Wildlife Resources Commission, to the Legislative Research Commission, and to the Fiscal Research Division no later than October 1, 2015. The recommendations shall not include recommendations to sell State properties or to change the present use and character of State historic and cultural sites. The recommendations shall address at least the following:
(1)	Whether cost‑savings could be realized by allowing private entities to operate certain State sites.
(2)	Whether limiting operating hours, mothballing, or imposing other cost‑savings measures should be adopted at certain historic and cultural sites.
SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2014.