GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

 SESSION 2011

H                                                                                                                                                    1

HOUSE BILL 944*

Short Title:        DCR and DENR/Study State Attractions Savings.		(Public)
Sponsors:	Representative Howard (Primary Sponsor). For a complete list of Sponsors, see Bill Information on the NCGA Web Site.
Referred to:	Finance.

May 17, 2012

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to require the department of Cultural Resources and the department of environment and natural resources to study various revenue enhancements and potential savings at State historic sites and museums, the state Zoo, state parks, and state aquariums, as recommended by the Joint Legislative Program evaluation oversight committee.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  The Department of Cultural Resources shall implement the following recommendations:

(1)        Study site proximity and span of control to identify historic sites that could adopt a coordinated management structure and report no later than December 15, 2012, to the Senate Appropriations Committee on General Government and Information Technology and the House Appropriations Committee on General Government.

(2)        Study reduced schedules for historic sites and report no later than December 15, 2012, to the Senate Appropriations Committee on General Government and Information Technology and the House Appropriations Committee on General Government.

(3)        Study the feasibility of implementing more reliable mechanisms for counting visitors and report no later than December 15, 2012, to the Senate Appropriations Committee on General Government and Information Technology and the House Appropriations Committee on General Government.

(4)        Determine the appropriate operating schedule for the Richard Caswell Memorial after the CSS Neuse moves to its new location.

(5)        Study potential savings from introducing and expanding admission fees; eliminating discounts or raising fees; adopting corporate sponsorship for some sites; and transferring operations to nonprofit support groups, municipalities, or other appropriate entities and report no later than December 15, 2012, to the Senate Appropriations Committee on General Government and Information Technology and the House Appropriations Committee on General Government. The report should specifically address potential savings at the following historic sites:

a.         Alamance Battleground.

b.         Aycock Birthplace.

c.         Bennett Place.

d.         Bentonville Battlefield.

e.         Charlotte Hawkins Brown Memorial.

f.          Duke Homestead.

g.         Historic Edenton.

h.         Historic Stagville.

i.          Museum of the Albemarle.

j.          Thomas Wolfe Memorial.

k.         Town Creek Indian Mound.

SECTION 2.  The Department of Environment and Natural Resources shall implement the following recommendations:

(1)        Study site proximity and span of control to identify parks that could adopt a coordinated management structure and report no later than December 15, 2012, to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Natural and Economic Resources and the Senate Appropriations Committee on Natural and Economic Resources.

(2)        Study daily visitation data to determine potential changes from daily or seasonal closure of specific parks and report no later than December 15, 2012, to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Natural and Economic Resources and the Senate Appropriations Committee on Natural and Economic Resources.

(3)        Validate no less frequently than every five years the number of visitors per car used in the calculation of visitor counts at State parks. The first report on this analysis shall be presented to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Natural and Economic Resources and the Senate Appropriations Committee on Natural and Economic Resources no later than April 1, 2013.

(4)        Provide an analysis of anticipated State costs and savings from partnering with nonprofits for operations at the zoo and aquariums and recommendations for partnering based on the analysis no later than December 15, 2012, to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Natural and Economic Resources and the Senate Appropriations Committee on Natural and Economic Resources.

(5)        Study and report no later than December 15, 2012, to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Natural and Economic Resources and the Senate Appropriations Committee on Natural and Economic Resources regarding potential savings from each of the following changes:

a.         Introducing or expanding admissions fees, eliminating discounts, or raising fees.

b.         Adopting corporate sponsorship for some sites.

c.         Transferring operations to nonprofit support groups, municipalities, or other appropriate entities.

SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.