A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to exempt the department of CULTURAL resources and the tryon Palace commission from certain rule‑making requirements when changing admission and activity fees at state historic sites, museums, and tryon palace historic sites and gardens.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 121‑7.3 reads as rewritten:
"§ 121‑7.3.  Admission fees.
The Department of Cultural Resources may charge a reasonable admission fee to any historic site and museum administered by the Department. Admission fees collected under this section are receipts of the Department and shall be deposited in a nonreverting account. The Department shall retain unbudgeted receipts at the end of each fiscal year, beginning June 30, 2004, and shall deposit these receipts into the account. Funds in the account shall be used to support a portion of the operation of each historic site and museum. The Secretary may adopt rules necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. In adopting, amending, or repealing rules for admission fees or related activity fees at historic sites and museums, the Department is exempt from the requirements of Article 2A of Chapter 150B of the General Statutes. The Department shall submit a report to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations on the amount and purpose of a fee change within 30 days following the effective date of the fee change. The Department shall provide a quarterly report to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations as to the Department's or museums' anticipated use of funds or expenditures of funds pursuant to this section."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 143B‑71 reads as rewritten:
"§ 143B‑71.  Tryon Palace Commission – creation, powers and duties.
There is hereby created the Tryon Palace Commission of the Department of Cultural Resources with the power and duty to adopt, amend and rescind rules and regulations concerning the restoration and maintenance of the Tryon Palace complex, and such other powers and duties as provided in Article 2 of Chapter 121 of the General Statutes of North Carolina. In adopting, amending, or repealing rules for admission fees or related activity fees at Tryon Palace Historic Sites and Gardens, the Commission shall be exempt from the requirements of Article 2A of Chapter 150B of the General Statutes. The Commission shall submit a report to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations on the amount and purpose of a fee change within 30 days following the effective date of the fee change."
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.