GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2001
S	1
SENATE BILL 13
     

     
 
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Sponsors:	Senator Purcell; Albertson, Allran, Ballantine, Carpenter, Carter, Cunningham, Dalton, Dannelly, Forrester, Foxx, Garrou, Garwood, Gulley, Hagan, Harris, Hartsell, Hoyle, Jordan, Kerr, Kinnaird, Lucas, Martin of Guilford, Metcalf, Miller, Moore, Plyler, Reeves, Robinson, Swindel, Thomas, Warren, Weinstein, and  Wellons.	
Referred to:	Appropriations/Base Budget.	
January 29, 2001

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THE PREVENTION OF BIRTH DEFECTS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services the sum of one million one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,150,000) for the 2001-2002 fiscal year.  These funds shall be used as follows:
(1)	$400,000 for the expansion of the Birth Defects Monitoring Program to cover all births in the State.
(2)	To provide analysis of all birth defect data.
(3)	To disseminate birth defect data to health care providers, public health, personnel, members of the North Carolina General Assembly, and to the general public.
(4)	To collect and analyze data on low-birth weight babies and premature babies.
(5)	$750,000 for the Statewide Folic Acid Campaign for education and awareness activities on the importance of the consumption of folic acid in multiple vitamins preceding pregnancy to effectively prevent neural tube birth defects and infant mortality.  The Folic Acid Education Campaign shall be developed in conjunction with the Governor's Folic Acid Council.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2001.