NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1979 SESSION

CHAPTER 928
SENATE BILL 604

AN ACT CREATING A COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE THE FACILITY NEEDS OF THE NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF HISTORY, THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE ARCHIVES, AND OTHER STATE HISTORY PROGRAMS AND TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR MEETING THOSE NEEDS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  Since 1922 the North Carolina Museum of History has collected one of the largest and most significant artifact collections (currently more than 250,000 items) in the nation. The Museum of History does not now have adequate space for the conservation, display, and interpretation of these materials. The North Carolina State Archives does not now have space for the proper housing, preservation, and servicing of the historic public records of the State of North Carolina and the public records of the State's counties and municipalities.
The conservation, preservation, display and interpretation of artifacts which are meaningful to the people of the State of North Carolina is in the public interest and is vital to the continuing education of the citizens of North Carolina and to the rich heritage of such citizens. The citizens of North Carolina should have full access to the use of and enjoyment of the rich historical collections of artifacts and records.
It is most important that the long-range physical needs of the Museum of History, the State Archives and other State history programs should be examined so that the State of North Carolina may continue to collect, preserve and display the meaningful artifacts of this State and display the same in a mode and manner which will provide for the continued expansion of the historical collection and the preservation of the heritage of the citizens of the State of North Carolina.
Sec. 2.  There is hereby created a "Committee to Study the Facility Needs of the North Carolina Museum of History, the North Carolina State Archives and Other State History Programs" which shall be composed of eight members to be appointed as follows: (a) two members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives from the membership of the House of Representatives; (b) two members appointed by the Lieutenant Governor from the membership of the Senate, and (c) four members appointed by the Governor from the State at-large. All appointments shall be made to the committee and the committee shall begin work by July 1, 1979. The chairman and vice-chairman of the committee shall be appointed by the Governor from among the membership of the committee.
Sec. 3.  This said committee shall have the duty to make a comprehensive study of the long-range facility needs of the North Carolina Museum of History, the North Carolina State Archives, and other State history programs which should be permanently housed in the Archives and History Building and such adjacent structures as may be needed to insure that the essential archival, artifact collection, interpretation, exhibit, and historical publication programs may remain as physically united as possible. The committee shall review the current space utilization of the Archives and History Building, the current financial resources and staffing of the relevant historical programs of the Division of Archives and History, and shall, in conjunction with the professional staffs of the above programs, develop a comprehensive plan for meeting their physical needs in and adjacent to the Archives and History Building. In its work, the committee shall consult with historical museum and archival professionals and with such designers as may be necessary.
Sec. 4.  The said committee, at its discretion, may consider the financial requirements necessary for the implementation of the committee's report on the physical needs of the North Carolina Museum of History, the North Carolina State Archives and other State history programs.
Sec. 5.  All administrative and staff assistance shall be provided to the committee by the Department of Cultural Resources.
Sec. 6.  There is appropriated to the Department of Cultural Resources for the fiscal year 1979-80 the sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for the use and benefit of the committee.
Sec. 7.  Members of the committee shall be reimbursed and compensated as follows:
(a)	legislative members at the rates set forth in G.S. 120-3.1;
(b)	public members as set forth in G.S. 138-5;
(c)	State employee members as set forth in G.S. 138-6.
Sec. 8.  The committee shall upon the completion of its work make a report to the Governor, cause its report to be published and distributed to the members of the General Assembly and shall submit its findings and recommendations to the 1979 General Assembly, Second Session.
Sec. 9.  Nothing contained herein shall be construed to obligate the General Assembly to appropriate additional funds.
Sec. 10.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1979.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 8th day of June, 1979.