AN ACT to appropriate federal covid funds to provide funding for freezers that are necessary for storing covid‑19 vaccines.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Of the funds received by the State as authorized under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, (P.L. 117‑2), there is appropriated the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2021‑2022 fiscal year to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health (Division), to be used as grants to pharmacies to purchase, repair, or upgrade refrigeration freezers necessary to safely and effectively store COVID‑19 vaccines. All funds shall be distributed no later than December 31, 2021.

SECTION 2.  The Division shall report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services on the implementation of this program by January 31, 2022. The report shall include all of the following:

(1)        A summary of the application process, including the criteria used to select grantees.

(2)        The number of grants given.

(3)        The amount of each grant.

(4)        The use of funds from the grant.

(5)        The name and location of each grantee.

(6)        The number of vaccination doses distributed as a result of increased refrigeration freezer capacity.

SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2021.