NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1981 SESSION

CHAPTER 1099

HOUSE BILL 865

AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THE OPERATION OF THE MOREHEAD PLANETARIUM.

Whereas, the Morehead Planetarium on the Chapel Hill campus of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a major cultural, educational, and scientific facility of the State, and is one of the finest planetariums in the world; and

Whereas, the Morehead Planetarium has served more than three million visitors since it opened in 1949, including more than 81,000 in 1979-80 alone; and

Whereas, the Morehead Planetarium in the past has been nearly self-sustaining through admission receipts; and

Whereas, legislatively voted salary increases have forced numerous increases in ticket prices and service reductions; and

Whereas, any further increases in ticket prices would restrict its mission of education, and further service cutbacks would sacrifice the quality of the program; Now, therefore,

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) for fiscal year 1981-82, to fund operation of the Morehead Planetarium in Chapel Hill.

Sec. 2. This act is effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 10th day of October, 1981.