A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds from the coronavirus relief fund for the north carolina policy collaboratory to carry out a statewide testing, tracking, and tracing initiative for covid‑19 research and business reopening purposes.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Transfer of Funds from Reserves to Relief Fund. – The State Controller shall transfer ten million dollars ($10,000,000) for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year from the Coronavirus Relief Reserve established in Section 2.1 of S.L. 2020‑4 to the Coronavirus Relief Fund established in Section 2.2 of S.L. 2020‑4.
SECTION 2.  Appropriation of Funds from Relief Fund. – There is appropriated from the Coronavirus Relief Fund to the Office of State Budget and Management the sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year to be allocated to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for the North Carolina Policy Collaboratory (Collaboratory) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to carry out a statewide testing, tracking, and tracing initiative for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) to provide the necessary data for businesses across North Carolina to safely reopen and remain open in a manner that facilitates economic activity while, at the same time, protects the public health of the employees and customers of businesses in the State. 
SECTION 3.  Use of Funds. – The funds shall be used for (i) creating an internet‑based portal for businesses based in North Carolina with an interest in utilizing testing, tracking, and tracing initiatives to sign up as candidates for participation in the program, (ii) selecting a geographically balanced representation of businesses based on the economic tier of the county in which they operate and the State's economic opportunity zones, (iii) selecting a diverse sampling of businesses based on their sector including, agriculture, manufacturing, restaurants, lodging, retail, and entertainment, (iv) selecting technologies to be deployed in businesses to carry out an effective testing, tracking, and tracing program, (v) collecting, synthesizing, analyzing, visualizing, and reporting data to show the efficacy of public health best practices in conjunction with businesses remaining open, and (vi) any other research or activity related to monitoring, assessing, or addressing the public health and economic impacts of COVID‑19.
SECTION 4.  Reporting Requirements. – The Collaboratory shall report on the progress of the use of the appropriated funds received pursuant to this act to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services by no later than September 1, 2020.
SECTION 5.  Exemptions. – The provisions of Article 3 of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes, G.S. 143‑129, and G.S. 116‑31.10 shall not apply to the purchase of apparatus, supplies, material, or equipment with any of the funds appropriated under this act.
SECTION 6.  Limitations. – Of the funds appropriated from the Coronavirus Relief Fund by this act, funds shall only be used for necessary eligible expenditures incurred during the period that begins on March 1, 2020, and ends on December 30, 2020. The funds appropriated by this act shall not revert at the end of the 2019‑2020 fiscal year but shall remain available to expend until December 30, 2020. If the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, P.L. 116‑136, is amended to allow the use of federal funds beyond December 30, 2020, the funds appropriated by this act shall not revert until the later date authorized by that act or until June 30, 2022, whichever occurs first.
SECTION 7.  This act is effective when it becomes law.