A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to provide funding for the Innovate Nc program to assist the economic development efforts of the town of pembroke.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  The Department of Commerce shall provide grants‑in‑aid in the amounts appropriated in this section to the Town of Pembroke to assist with the implementation of the Innovate NC initiative. The purpose of the Innovate NC initiative is to create new jobs and foster new enterprise development while reducing costs and increasing quality of life for the community by encouraging new technologies in sustainability in the areas of construction, home health care, and agribusiness. Grant funds received pursuant to this section shall be used for the following purposes:
(1)	To hire individuals needed to work with businesses and other community stakeholders and to conduct research and help coordinate the initiative.
(2)	To purchase equipment for a makerspace to help better utilize technologies.
(3)	Marketing activities, including Internet Web sites and community workshops.
(4)	Establish a sustainability group for school construction.
(5)	Assist residents in repair and retrofitting of housing damaged by flooding from Hurricane Matthew.
(6)	Initiate pilot program for home monitoring.
(7)	Launch an Artist and Farmers Market and integrate with home health care.
(8)	Coordinate and partner with the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and the Incubator program and the Chancellor's Challenge start‑up program.
SECTION 1.(b)  There is appropriated from the General Fund the sum of one hundred ninety‑five thousand dollars ($195,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2017‑2018 fiscal year to the Department of Commerce to be allocated to the Town of Pembroke for the Innovate NC initiative described in subsection (a) of this section.
SECTION 1.(c)  There is appropriated from the General Fund the sum of one hundred sixty thousand dollars ($160,000) in recurring funds for the 2018‑2019 fiscal year to the Department of Commerce to be allocated to the Town of Pembroke for the Innovate NC initiative described in subsection (a) of this section.
SECTION 1.(d)  On or before April 1 of each year, the Department of Commerce, in coordination with the Town of Pembroke, shall report on the Innovate NC initiative, including the purposes and amounts spent from the funds appropriated, the number of residents assisted by the initiative, the specific future projects and start‑ups enabled by the initiative, and any recommendations on improving the initiative.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2017.