NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1979 SESSION

CHAPTER 742

HOUSE BILL 1254

AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 146 OF THE GENERAL STATUTES TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION TO PAY REWARDS FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE RECLAMATION OF CERTAIN STATE LANDS OR MONETARY RECOVERIES FROM PERSONS WRONGFULLY CUTTING STATE TIMBER.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  Article 3, Chapter 146 of the General Statutes is hereby amended by inserting a new section following G.S. 146-17 to be designated as G.S. 146-17.1 to read as follows:

"§ 146-17.1.  Rewards; reclamation of certain State lands; wrongful removal of timber from State lands. — (a) The Department of Administration, acting on behalf of the State, for the purpose of discovering State lands, may, with the approval of the Governor and Council of State, pay any person, firm or corporation who shall provide information that leads to the successful reclamation of any swamplands or vacant and unappropriated lands of the State, a reward equal to one percent (1%) of the appraised value of the reclaimed land, or one thousand dollars ($1,000), whichever sum is less. All expenses incurred by the Department pursuant to this subsection shall be paid from the State Land Fund, unless otherwise provided by the General Assembly.

(b)        The Department of Administration, acting on behalf of the State, may, with the approval of the Governor and Council of State, pay any person, firm or corporation who shall provide information that leads to a successful monetary recovery by the State from any person, firm or corporation who wrongfully cuts or removes timber from State lands, a reward equal to one percent (1%) of the amount of said monetary recovery, or one thousand dollars ($1,000), whichever sum is less. All expenses incurred by the Department pursuant to this subsection shall be paid from said monetary recovery, unless otherwise provided by the General Assembly.

(c)        No State employee or official, or other public employee or official, shall be eligible for a reward pursuant to Subsections (a) or (b) or this section for providing any information obtained in the normal course of his or her official duties."

Sec. 2.  This act is effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 1st day of June, 1979.