A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds to the department of transportation to support continuation of the railroad SHORT-LINE grant program during the recession in order to stimulate economic and agricultural development.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Transportation, Rail Division, the sum of seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) for the 2009‑2010 fiscal year and the sum of seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) for the 2010‑2011 fiscal year to continue the short-line grant program of the Rail Division during this recession in order to provide grants that, based upon the Division's determination, will stimulate economic and agricultural development. All short-line grants shall be matched dollar for dollar by each short-line receiving grant funds. If the Rail Division determines that federal stimulus dollars may be used to fund these grants, or if the General Assembly restores funding for short-line grants, the funds appropriated in this act shall not be expended and shall revert to the General Fund at the end of the fiscal year.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2009.