North Carolina HB 300: Partially Disabled Veteran/Free Plate.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 2
HOUSE BILL 300
Committee Substitute Favorable 4/1/25

Short Title: Vet Care for Retired First Responder Dogs. (Public)
Sponsors:
Referred to:
March 6, 2025
*H300-v-2*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO REIMBURSE OWNERS OF RETIRED FIRST RESPONDER CANINES FOR 2
VETERINARY CARE. 3
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
SECTION 1. Chapter 143 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new 5
Article to read: 6
"Article 12I. 7
"Retired First Responder Canine Veterinary Care Reimbursements. 8
"§ 143-166.90. Purpose. 9
In consideration of hazardous public service rendered to the people of this State, there is 10
provided a system of veterinary care reimbursement for retired first responder canines. 11
"§ 143-166.91. Definitions. 12
The following definitions apply in this Article: 13
(1) Correctional agency. – A lawfully established State or local public agency 14
having primary responsibility for the supervision, protection, care, custody, 15
control, or investigation of individuals at a State prison or local confinement 16
facility within the State. 17
(2) Covered first responder unit. ‒ Any correctional agency, fire department, or 18
law enforcement agency. 19
(3) Fire department. ‒ A lawfully established State or local public agency having 20
primary responsibility for firefighting and fire prevention. 21
(4) Law enforcement agency. – A lawfully established State or local public 22
agency within the State having primary responsibility for the prevention and 23
detection of crime or the enforcement of penal, traffic, highway, regulatory, 24
game, immigration, postal, customs, or controlled substance laws. 25
(5) Retired first responder canine. – A canine meeting the following criteria: 26
a. The canine retired on or after July 1, 2024, and prior to retirement was 27
owned by a covered first responder unit for the principal purpose of 28
aiding in the detection of criminal activity; the enforcement of laws; 29
the apprehension of offenders; the detection of accelerants, explosives, 30
or narcotics; or search and rescue operations. 31
b. The canine received certification in obedience, apprehension, 32
explosives detection, accelerants detection, narcotics detection, or 33
search and rescue work from a nationally recognized organization that 34
certifies canines performing that type of work. 35

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 300-Second Edition
(6) Veterinary care. – The practice, by a veterinarian, of veterinary medicine as 1
defined in G.S. 90-181. For purposes of this Article, this term includes, at a 2
minimum, each of the following: 3
a. Annual wellness examinations. 4
b. Vaccinations. 5
c. Internal and external parasite prevention treatments. 6
d. Testing and treatment of illnesses and diseases. 7
e. Medications. 8
f. Emergency care and surgeries. 9
g. Veterinary oncology or other specialty care. 10
h. Euthanasia. 11
i. Cremation. 12
"§ 143-166.92. Registration of a retired first responder canine with the Department of 13
Public Safety. 14
(a) In order for a retired first responder canine to be eligible to participate in this program, 15
upon the retirement of a first responder canine, the covered first responder unit shall register the 16
canine with the Department of Public Safety. Registration of the retired first responder canine 17
shall require the following information from the covered first responder unit: 18
(1) Verification that the canine was owned by the covered first responder unit for 19
the principal purpose of aiding in the detection of criminal activity; the 20
enforcement of laws; the apprehension of offenders; the detection of 21
accelerants, explosives, or narcotics; or search and rescue operations. 22
(2) The date the canine retired from service with the covered first responder unit. 23
(3) The name, breed, and age of the canine. 24
(b) Upon receipt of all information required in subsection (a) of this section, the 25
Department shall issue to the covered first responder unit a certification that the canine has been 26
registered as a retired first responder canine for purposes of this Article. 27
(c) The covered first responder unit shall provide a copy of the retired first responder 28
certification to the canine's new owner. 29
"§ 143-166.93. Registration of a retired first responder canine owner with the Department 30
of Public Safety. 31
(a) An owner of a retired first responder canine who seeks reimbursement for veterinary 32
care of the canine shall register with the Department of Public Safety. Registration of the owner 33
shall require the following information from the owner: 34
(1) Name, telephone number, and mailing address of the owner. 35
(2) Proof of ownership of the retired first responder canine. 36
(3) A copy of the retired first responder canine certification from the covered first 37
responder unit from which the canine retired. 38
(b) The owner shall be responsible for n