A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds for the southern regional area health education center.
Whereas, the issue of access to health care in rural areas of North Carolina is of paramount importance to the overall health and well‑being of North Carolina citizens and a crucial component of economic development and job creation; and
Whereas, the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Program was created in 1972 to address concerns with the supply, distribution, retention, and quality of health professionals; and
Whereas, southeastern North Carolina has numerous counties ranking in the bottom half of health outcomes in the State, with several in the bottom quarter; and
Whereas, in 2018 the General Assembly appointed a Legislative Research Commission on Access to Rural Health Care to develop strategies to improve rural outcome and train medical professionals in rural areas; and
Whereas, the Legislative Research Commission on Access to Rural Health Care found that one of the best ways to increase the number of health care providers in rural areas is to increase the number of medical residents in rural areas; and
Whereas, the Southern Regional Area Health Education Center is located in Fayetteville, North Carolina and works collaboratively with health care stakeholders throughout the southeastern region to train physicians; and
Whereas, the General Assembly has historically utilized the AHEC system to provide support for the development of medical residencies in rural areas of the State; 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 four million eight hundred thousand dollars ($4,800,000) in recurring funds for the 2019‑2020 school year to be allocated to the Southern Regional Area Health Education Center (SR AHEC) to be used for residencies in the SR AHEC service areas and for facility and structural improvements associated with current residency programs.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2019.