NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1971 SESSION

CHAPTER 1049

HOUSE BILL 1138

AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO IMPLEMENT A STATEWIDE SYSTEM OF COMPREHENSIVE VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION CENTERS.

Whereas, 275,000 North Carolinians have significant physical disabilities, and they deserve the best planning and implementation of vocational rehabilitation services that the State can offer; and

Whereas, physically disabled adults in North Carolina have few alternatives to dependency on society, because of the absence of comprehensive vocational rehabilitation facilities for them in this State; and

Whereas, for every $1.00 spent on rehabilitation, up to $35.00 is returned to the economy of North Carolina and for every $1.00 spent on rehabilitation, up to $10.00 in taxes is returned to local, state and federal governments; and

Whereas, the 1969 General Assembly directed the State Board of Education to establish a study and initiate plans for the location and development of comprehensive vocational rehabilitation centers; and

Whereas, as a result of the study published in the "Final Report on Planning for Comprehensive Vocational Rehabilitation Centers in North Carolina," the State Board of Education proposed the implementation of a statewide system of comprehensive vocational rehabilitation centers; Now, therefore,

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  There is hereby appropriated out of the General Fund, in addition to the other appropriations, to the State Board of Education, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, the sum of $25,000 together with such other funds from federal or other non-state sources as may be available, to complete plans for the development of a state rehabilitation institute.

Sec. 2.  There is hereby appropriated out of the General Fund, in addition to the other appropriations, to the State Board of Education, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, the sum of $350,042, to be matched with such other funds from federal or other non-state sources as may be available, for constructing and equipping a regional comprehensive vocational rehabilitation center at Greenville, North Carolina.

Sec. 3.  Hereby out of the General Fund, in addition to a State appropriation, to the State Board of Education, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, the sum of $10,000 to be used for advanced planning of a Regional Comprehensive Vocational Center at Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Sec. 4.  This act shall become effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 21st day of July, 1971.