NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1973 SESSION

CHAPTER 682
HOUSE BILL 1025

AN ACT TO CREATE THE NORTH CAROLINA ALCOHOLISM RESEARCH AUTHORITY.

Whereas, the State of North Carolina has provided rehabilitation services for alcoholism for over 20 years; and
Whereas, the prevalence rate of alcoholism has increased during this time; and
Whereas, the problems stemming from alcohol abuse have deleterious effects upon all our citizens by causing broken homes, economic hardships, work difficulties, highway accidents and deaths, other deaths from violence, criminal behavior, medical diseases including sudden death; and
Whereas, until now the State of North Carolina has concentrated its efforts almost exclusively upon treatment and rehabilitation without seeking the root causes of alcoholism and without making efforts at its prevention; and
Whereas, since 1970, the University of North Carolina Center for Alcohol Studies has had a director and small staff supported by a small appropriation; and
Whereas, the initial efforts of the Center for Alcohol Studies have clearly indicated a need for greater expenditure of time, effort and money in the area of alcohol studies; and
Whereas, North Carolina has the potential talent pool of qualified scientists to perform necessary studies; and
Whereas, competent scientists and organizations throughout North Carolina need to be assisted in focusing efforts upon the cause, prevention and cure of alcoholism; and
Whereas, studies in North Carolina of biological (including medical), sociological and psychological factors concerning alcohol use and abuse are needed; and
Whereas, any legal changes hereinafter introduced with regard to the manufacture, distribution, sale and use of alcoholic beverages need to be monitored by modern scientific methods to determine the effects of such legal changes so that further legislative measures might be guided by the results of such scientific study; and
Whereas, an appropriate authority needs to be created to support such efforts; Now, therefore,

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  The North Carolina Alcoholism Research Authority is hereby created which shall consist of and be governed by a nine-member board to be appointed by the Governor. Three of the members shall be appointed for a two-year term, three shall be appointed for a four-year term, and three shall be appointed for a six-year term; thereafter all appointments shall be for terms of six years. Any vacancy occurring in the membership of the board shall be filled by the Governor for the unexpired term.
Sec. 2.  The board shall elect one of its members chairman and one as vice-chairman. The director of the Center for Alcohol Studies of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shall serve ex-officio as executive secretary to the Authority. Board members shall receive the same per diem, subsistence, and travel allowances as members of similar State boards and commissions, provided funds are available in the "Alcoholism Research Fund" for this purpose.
Sec. 3.  The Authority is hereby authorized to receive funds from State, federal, private, or other sources, which funds shall be held separately and designated as the "Alcoholism Research Fund". The Authority shall expend these funds on research as to the causes and effects of alcohol abuse and alcoholism, and for the training of alcohol research personnel. Expenditures for the purposes specified in this section shall be made as appropriations to nonprofit corporations, organizations, agencies, or institutions engaging in such research or training. The Authority may also pay necessary administrative expenses from the Fund.
Sec. 4.  Applications for grants hereinunder shall be processed by the Center for Alcohol Studies. All applications shall be reviewed by scientific consultants to the Center; and the Center, after review and study, shall make recommendations to the Authority as to the awarding of grants. The Center shall also furnish to the Authority such additional clerical assistance as may be required.
Sec. 5.  The Authority may adopt and promulgate rules and regulations relative to applications for grants, the reviewing of grants, and awarding of grants.
Sec. 6.  This act shall become effective upon ratification.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 22nd day of May, 1973.