A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to establish a joint study commission to study state government expanding its use of Alternative sources of energy.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is established the Joint Study Commission on Expanding Alternative Energy Use by State Government. 
SECTION 2.  The Commission shall consist of 14 members as follows:
(1)	Seven members of the Senate, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
(2)	Seven members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vacancies on the Commission shall be filled by the appointing authority that made the original appointment that is vacant. The President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each designate a cochair. A quorum of the Commission shall be eight members.
The Commission, while in the discharge of its official duties, may exercise all powers provided for under G.S. 120‑19 and G.S. 120‑19.1 through G.S. 120‑19.4, including the power to request all officers, agents, agencies, and departments of the State to provide any information, data, or documents within their possession, ascertainable from their records, or otherwise available to them, and the power to subpoena witnesses.
The Commission may meet at any time upon call of the chairs. The Commission may meet in the Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building. The Commission may contract for professional, clerical, or consultant services as provided by G.S. 120‑32.02.
The Legislative Services Commission, through the Legislative Services Officer, shall assign professional staff to assist the Commission in its work. The House of Representatives' and the Senate's Director of Legislative Assistants shall assign clerical staff to the Commission, and the expenses relating to the clerical employees shall be borne by the Commission. Members of the Commission shall receive subsistence and travel expenses at the rates set forth in G.S. 120‑3.1, 138‑5, or 138‑6, as appropriate.
SECTION 3.  The Commission shall study the feasibility and desirability of State government expanding its use of alternative sources of energy for fueling vehicles that are owned or leased by the State as well as for providing energy to power heating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in buildings owned or leased by the State and to power other systems, motors, and appliances that are owned or leased by the State. As a part of its study, the Commission shall consider the feasibility and desirability of using natural gas in the short term so that the State is able to lessen its dependence on petroleum-based sources of energy in the immediate future and until some other alternative energy sources are available for use by the State. As a part of its study, the Commission shall consider the feasibility and desirability of the State government employing wind power. The Commission may consider any other issue deemed relevant by the Commission.
SECTION 4.  The Commission shall make a final report, including any proposed legislation, to the 2011 General Assembly upon its convening.  The Commission shall terminate upon filing its final report or upon the convening of the 2011 General Assembly, whichever is earlier.
SECTION 5.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the General Assembly the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) for the 2009-2010 fiscal year and the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) for the 2010-2011 fiscal year for the cost of conducting the study established by this act.
SECTION 6.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2009.