NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1977 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 950

HOUSE BILL 187

 

 

AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO EMPLOY CHAPLAINS IN THE DIVISION OF PRISONS, DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION.

 

Whereas, for those desiring it, moral and religious counselling has been found to be of significant rehabilitative value for persons in prison; and

Whereas, the free exercise of religion by a prisoner ought not to be impeded more than is necessitated by the fact of his confinement; Now, therefore,

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  The Department of Correction is authorized and directed to employ clinical chaplains to provide moral, spiritual and social counselling and ministerial services to inmates in the custody of the Secretary of the Department of Correction. The Department of Correction shall seek to employ a diversity of qualified persons having differing faiths which are to the extent practicable reflective of the professed religious composition of the inmate population.

Sec. 2.  There is hereby appropriated from the General Fund the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for the fiscal year 1977-78 to be used by the Department of Correction for employing chaplains.

Sec. 3.  There is hereby appropriated from the General Fund the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) for the fiscal year 1978-79 to be used by the Department of Correction for employing chaplains.

Sec. 4.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1977.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 1st day of July, 1977.