A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT To establish the food safety and security task force and to appropriate FUNDS to improve food safety and security in the state.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  The North Carolina Food Safety and Security Task Force is created as a cooperative, multiagency advisory and coordinating task force to protect the State's food supply system and the agricultural industry base. The Task Force shall consist of the following members, or their designees:
(1)	The Commissioner of Agriculture.
(2)	The Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources.
(3)	The Secretary of Health and Human Services.
(4)	The Secretary of Crime Control and Public Safety.
(5)	The Superintendent of Public Instruction.
(6)	The Commissioner of Labor.
(7)	The Commissioner of Insurance.
(8)	The Attorney General.
(9)	The Chancellor of North Carolina State University.
(10)	The Chancellor of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
(11)	The President of the North Carolina Community College System.
(12)	Representatives of private industry and other public members invited to participate by the Task Force.
SECTION 1.(b)  The Commissioner of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall serve as cochairs of the Task Force.  
SECTION 2.  The North Carolina Food Safety and Security Task Force shall:
(1)	Assess the vulnerability of the State's food system to criminal and terrorist acts and make recommendations for:
a.	Improved safety and security of the food supply system.
b.	Terrorism threat reduction measures.
c.	Improvement of food safety and security mitigation and response plans.
d.	Training for key stakeholders in the State's food supply system.
(2)	Recommend legislation needed to improve the ability of State departments and agencies to protect the safety and security of the State's food supply and the agricultural industry base, including legislation to protect sensitive and proprietary information of the State's food supply system, safety and security vulnerability information, and security plans, that, if compromised, would heighten the exposure of the State's food supply system to criminal or terrorist acts. 
(3)	Recommend budget, staffing and resource adjustments necessary to improve the capability of State departments and agencies to protect the safety and security of the State's food supply system and agricultural industrial base.
SECTION 3.  The Food Safety and Security Task Force shall submit a preliminary report no later than 15 December 2003 and shall submit a final report no later than 15 December 2004 to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations. These reports shall include any recommendations, including proposed legislation, for changes in laws, rules, and programs that the Task Force determines to be appropriate to enhance food safety and security in the State.
SECTION 4.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services the sum of thirty‑six thousand dollars ($36,000) for the 2003‑2004 fiscal year and the sum of thirty‑six thousand dollars ($36,000) for the 2004‑2005 fiscal year to establish and support a multiagency North Carolina Food Safety and Security Task Force.
SECTION 5.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services the sum of three hundred eighty‑four thousand seven hundred forty‑eight dollars ($384,748) for the 2003‑2004 fiscal year to be used as the ten percent (10%) State matching funds needed to obtain a grant of approximately three million eight hundred forty‑seven thousand four hundred‑eighty‑three dollars ($3,847,483) from the United States Department of Homeland Security to fund a multiagency, private‑public food safety and security program to reduce the vulnerability of North Carolina food supplies to criminal and terrorist acts.
SECTION 6.  This act becomes effective 1 July 2003.