N.C. House Gives Anti-Terrorism Bills Preliminary Approval

By Nathan Coletta

Staff Writer

The N.C. House tentatively approved two bills Wednesday that aim to better prepare officials for a terrorist attack and monitor agents that potentially could be sued to create biological weapons.

A final vote on the bill is expected to happen today -- the legislation must be approved twice before it will be moved to the House.

The legislation comes only a week after the N.C. House agreed to toughen criminal penalties for biological and chemical attacks.

The first bill would provide $1.9 million for the state to improve training for rescue workers, enhance communication between public health officials and create six state rescue teams under the control of the Division of Emergency Management.

The bill would also allow Gov. Mike Easley to borrow up to $20 million from state reserves to prepare the state to deal with possible biological or chemical attacks.

The money would later be paid back with funds received from the federal government.

Rep. Wayne Goodwin, D-Richmond, who co-sponsored the legislation, said he thinks the bill is important because it will help place North Carolina at an increased state of readiness in the event of a terrorist attack.

"The events of Sept. 11 continue to have an effect on every state and community in terms of precautionary measures should there be any additional terrorist attacks," Goodwin said.

Another bill heard Wednesday would create a confidential registry of research facilities to help law enforcement officials investigate attacks on public health.

The legislation, requested by N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper, would ask laboratories to inform the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services of any potential biological weapons they possess.

Labs will also be required to report the amount of biological agents they have and any security measures being taken.

Cooper said the need for the bill developed because investigators were forced to search labs across the state extensively after the first confirmed case of anthrax in the United States to determine which labs housed potentially dangerous diseases.

"Law enforcement officials had a difficult time finding out which institution had what biological agents," he said.

"A registry would provide excellent resources for law enforcement to determine where anthrax or other diseases came from."

The information provided by the labs would be confidential and only accessible to state and federal law enforcement or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"We may not be able to stop a foreign government from making anthrax, but we can prevent terrorists from stealing them from our own labs," Cooper said. "Instead of just fighting the last battle of anthrax, we need to anticipate the next potential battle in bioterrorism."

Goodwin said he expects both bills to be passed before the legislature adjourns.

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.