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North Carolina House Bill H300

North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Carolina House Bill H300 Compare Versions

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11 GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
22 SESSION 2025
3-H 2
3+H 1
44 HOUSE BILL 300
5-Committee Substitute Favorable 4/1/25
5+
66
77 Short Title: Vet Care for Retired First Responder Dogs. (Public)
8-Sponsors:
9-Referred to:
8+Sponsors: Representatives Gillespie, Pyrtle, Miller, and Carson Smith (Primary Sponsors).
9+For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
10+Referred to: Homeland Security and Military and Veterans Affairs, if favorable,
11+Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
1012 March 6, 2025
11-*H300 -v-2*
13+*H300 -v-1*
1214 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
1315 AN ACT TO REIMBURSE OWNERS OF RETIRED FIRST RESPONDER CANINE S FOR 2
1416 VETERINARY CARE. 3
1517 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
1618 SECTION 1. Chapter 143 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new 5
1719 Article to read: 6
1820 "Article 12I. 7
1921 "Retired First Responder Canine Veterinary Care Reimbursements. 8
2022 "§ 143-166.90. Purpose. 9
2123 In consideration of hazardous public service rendered to the people of this State, there is 10
2224 provided a system of veterinary care reimbursement for retired first responder canines. 11
2325 "§ 143-166.91. Definitions. 12
2426 The following definitions apply in this Article: 13
2527 (1) Correctional agency. – A lawfully established State or local public agency 14
2628 having primary responsibility for the supervision, protection, care, custody, 15
2729 control, or investigation of individuals at a State prison or local confinement 16
2830 facility within the State. 17
2931 (2) Covered first responder unit. ‒ Any correctional agency, fire department, or 18
3032 law enforcement agency. 19
3133 (3) Fire department. ‒ A lawfully established State or local public agency having 20
3234 primary responsibility for firefighting and fire prevention. 21
3335 (4) Law enforcement agency. – A lawfully established State or local public 22
3436 agency within the State having primary responsibility for the prevention and 23
3537 detection of crime or the enforcement of penal, traffic, highway, regulatory, 24
3638 game, immigration, postal, customs, or controlled substance laws. 25
3739 (5) Retired first responder canine. – A canine meeting the following criteria: 26
3840 a. The canine retired on or after July 1, 2024, and prior to retirement was 27
3941 owned by a covered first responder unit for the principal purpose of 28
4042 aiding in the detection of criminal activity; the enforcement of laws; 29
4143 the apprehension of offenders; the detection of accelerants, explosives, 30
4244 or narcotics; or search and rescue operations. 31
4345 b. The canine received certification in obedience, apprehension, 32
44-explosives detection, accelerants detection, narcotics detection, or 33
45-search and rescue work from a nationally recognized organization that 34
46-certifies canines performing that type of work. 35 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
47-Page 2 House Bill 300-Second Edition
48-(6) Veterinary care. – The practice, by a veterinarian, of veterinary medicine as 1
49-defined in G.S. 90-181. For purposes of this Article, this term includes, at a 2
50-minimum, each of the following: 3
51-a. Annual wellness examinations. 4
52-b. Vaccinations. 5
53-c. Internal and external parasite prevention treatments. 6
54-d. Testing and treatment of illnesses and diseases. 7
55-e. Medications. 8
56-f. Emergency care and surgeries. 9
57-g. Veterinary oncology or other specialty care. 10
58-h. Euthanasia. 11
59-i. Cremation. 12
60-"§ 143-166.92. Registration of a retired first responder canine with the Department of 13
61-Public Safety. 14
62-(a) In order for a retired first responder canine to be eligible to participate in this program, 15
63-upon the retirement of a first responder canine, the covered first responder unit shall register the 16
64-canine with the Department of Public Safety. Registration of the retired first responder canine 17
65-shall require the following information from the covered first responder unit: 18
66-(1) Verification that the canine was owned by the covered first responder unit for 19
67-the principal purpose of aiding in the detection of criminal activity; the 20
68-enforcement of laws; the apprehension of offenders; the detection of 21
69-accelerants, explosives, or narcotics; or search and rescue operations. 22
70-(2) The date the canine retired from service with the covered first responder unit. 23
71-(3) The name, breed, and age of the canine. 24
72-(b) Upon receipt of all information required in subsection (a) of this section, the 25
73-Department shall issue to the covered first responder unit a certification that the canine has been 26
74-registered as a retired first responder canine for purposes of this Article. 27
75-(c) The covered first responder unit shall provide a copy of the retired first responder 28
76-certification to the canine's new owner. 29
77-"§ 143-166.93. Registration of a retired first responder canine owner with the Department 30
78-of Public Safety. 31
79-(a) An owner of a retired first responder canine who seeks reimbursement for veterinary 32
80-care of the canine shall register with the Department of Public Safety. Registration of the owner 33
81-shall require the following information from the owner: 34
82-(1) Name, telephone number, and mailing address of the owner. 35
83-(2) Proof of ownership of the retired first responder canine. 36
84-(3) A copy of the retired first responder canine certification from the covered first 37
85-responder unit from which the canine retired. 38
86-(b) The owner shall be responsible for notifying the Department of any changes to the 39
87-information required for registration pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. 40
88-(c) Upon receipt of all information required in subsection (a) of this section, the 41
89-Department shall register the owner as the approved Retired First Responder Canine Fund 42
90-recipient for any eligible reimbursements paid for the retired first responder canine's veterinary 43
91-care. 44
92-"§ 143-166.94. Application for reimbursement. 45
93-(a) When a retired first responder canine receives veterinary care, the registered owner 46
94-of the canine may apply to the Department of Public Safety pursuant to the provisions of this 47
95-Article for the reimbursement of that care up to the amount of one thousand five hundred dollars 48
96-($1,500) in a State fiscal year. 49
97-(b) When seeking reimbursement in accordance with the provisions of this Article, the 50
98-registered owner of the retired first responder canine must submit an application for 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
99-House Bill 300-Second Edition Page 3
100-reimbursement within 90 days of the date of the veterinary care received by the retired first 1
101-responder canine. 2
102-(c) The application for reimbursement shall be submitted on a form created by the 3
103-Department which shall, at a minimum, require the following information: 4
104-(1) The name of the registered owner. 5
105-(2) An itemized statement from the veterinarian that includes all of the following 6
106-information for veterinary care services provided to the retired first responder 7
107-canine: 8
108-a. The name, telephone number, and mailing address of the veterinarian. 9
109-b. The name of the retired first responder canine that received veterinary 10
110-care from the veterinarian. 11
111-c. The date the retired first responder canine received veterinary care 12
112-from the veterinarian. 13
113-d. The specific veterinary care services provided. 14
114-e. The cost of each veterinary care service provided. 15
115-f. Confirmation that the registered owner paid for the veterinary care 16
116-services. 17
117-(3) Any additional information required by the Department to verify the 18
118-authenticity of the veterinary care services or costs submitted by the registered 19
119-owner in the application for reimbursement. 20
120-(d) The Department may deny an application for reimbursement under any of the 21
121-following circumstances: 22
122-(1) The canine that received veterinary care is not a registered first responder 23
123-canine pursuant to G.S. 143-166.92. 24
124-(2) The owner has not registered with the Department pursuant to 25
125-G.S. 143-166.93. 26
126-(3) The registered owner's application for reimbursement does not contain all 27
127-required information set forth in G.S. 143-166.94. 28
128-(4) The application for reimbursement contains inaccurate or materially false 29
129-information. 30
130-(5) The registered owner has already received the maximum reimbursement 31
131-amount for the retired first responder canine for the State fiscal year. 32
132-(6) The funds allocated for this program have been exhausted for the fiscal year. 33
133-"§ 143-166.95. Creation of Fund; management. 34
134-There is established within the Department of Public Safety the Retired First Responder 35
135-Canine Fund. All monies in the Fund shall not revert. Awards from the Fund shall be distributed 36
136-in accordance with this Article. 37
137-The Department of Public Safety shall have the power to adopt rules for the administration 38
138-of the provisions of this Article and shall have the authority to use up to one percent (1%) of 39
139-monies received by the Retired First Responder Canine Fund for the purpose of administering 40
140-the Fund. The Department of Public Safety shall be vested with the power to make all 41
141-determinations necessary for the administration of this Article and all of its decisions and 42
142-determinations shall be final and conclusive and not subject to review or reversal. 43
143-"§ 143-166.96. Record keeping. 44
144-In relation to applications received under this Article, the Department of Public Safety shall 45
145-keep a record of the following: 46
146-(1) All applications received. 47
147-(2) All application determinations. 48
148-(3) All funds disbursed. 49
149-"§ 143-166.97. Names of owners of retired first responder canines not a public record. 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
150-Page 4 House Bill 300-Second Edition
151-Except as otherwise provided in this section, the name, address, and telephone number of the 1
152-registered owner of the retired first responder canine is confidential and shall not be considered 2
153-a public record as that term is defined in G.S. 132-1. Nothing in this section prohibits the 3
154-Department of Public Safety from sharing any information directly necessary for the 4
155-administration of the Fund. 5
156-"§ 143-166.98. Other benefits not affected; elective participation. 6
157-(a) No other benefits now provided for retired first responder canines shall be affected 7
158-by the provisions of this Article, and the benefits provided for in this Article shall not be 8
159-diminished, abated, or otherwise affected by the provision of benefits to retired first responder 9
160-canines under any other provision of law. 10
161-(b) Owners of retired first responder canines are not required to seek reimbursement for 11
162-veterinary care under this Article, and the failure to seek that reimbursement in a given year shall 12
163-not preclude an owner from seeking future reimbursement under this Article." 13
164-SECTION 2. G.S. 17F-21 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 14
165-"(c) The terms and conditions outlined in the transfer of ownership of a service dog, as 15
166-referenced in subsection (a) of this section, shall not prevent the owner of a retired first responder 16
167-canine from applying for reimbursement of veterinary care for a retired first responder canine in 17
168-accordance with Article 12I of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes." 18
169-SECTION 3. G.S. 150B-1(d) reads as rewritten: 19
170-"(d) Exemptions from Rule Making. – Article 2A of this Chapter does not apply to the 20
171-following: 21
172-… 22
173-(35) The Department of Public Safety with respect to administering the Retired 23
174-First Responder Canine Fund under Article 12I of Chapter 143 of the General 24
175-Statutes." 25
176-SECTION 4. G.S. 150B-1(e) reads as rewritten: 26
177-"(e) Exemptions From Contested Case Provisions. – The contested case provisions of this 27
178-Chapter apply to all agencies and all proceedings not expressly exempted from the Chapter. The 28
179-contested case provisions of this Chapter do not apply to the following: 29
180-… 30
181-(30) The Department of Public Safety with respect to any decision necessary to 31
182-administer the Retired First Responder Canine Fund under Article 12I of 32
183-Chapter 143 of the General Statutes." 33
184-SECTION 5. For purposes of satisfying the eligibility requirements established in 34
185-G.S. 143-166.92, as enacted by Section 1 of this act, a first responder unit may register with the 35
186-Department of Public Safety a first responder canine that retired on or after July 1, 2024. 36
187-SECTION 6. Notwithstanding G.S. 143C-5-2, there is appropriated from the 37
188-General Fund to the Retired First Responder Canine Fund the sum of four hundred thousand 38
189-dollars ($400,000) in recurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to be used in accordance with 39
190-the provisions of Article 12I of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes, as enacted by this act. 40
191-SECTION 7. This act is effective 45 days after it becomes law. 41
46+explosives detection, accelerants detection, narcotics detection, or 33 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
47+Page 2 House Bill 300-First Edition
48+search and rescue work from a nationally recognized organization that 1
49+certifies canines performing that type of work. 2
50+(6) Veterinary care. – The practice, by a veterinarian, of veterinary medicine as 3
51+defined in G.S. 90-181. For purposes of this Article, this term includes, at a 4
52+minimum, each of the following: 5
53+a. Annual wellness examinations. 6
54+b. Vaccinations. 7
55+c. Internal and external parasite prevention treatments. 8
56+d. Testing and treatment of illnesses and diseases. 9
57+e. Medications. 10
58+f. Emergency care and surgeries. 11
59+g. Veterinary oncology or other specialty care. 12
60+h. Euthanasia. 13
61+i. Cremation. 14
62+"§ 143-166.92. Registration of a retired first responder canine with the Department of 15
63+Public Safety. 16
64+(a) In order for a retired first responder canine to be eligible to participate in this program, 17
65+upon the retirement of a first responder canine, the covered first responder unit shall register the 18
66+canine with the Department of Public Safety. Registration of the retired first responder canine 19
67+shall require the following information from the covered first responder unit: 20
68+(1) Verification that the canine was owned by the covered first responder unit for 21
69+the principal purpose of aiding in the detection of criminal activity; the 22
70+enforcement of laws; the apprehension of offenders; the detection of 23
71+accelerants, explosives, or narcotics; or search and rescue operations. 24
72+(2) The date the canine retired from service with the covered first responder unit. 25
73+(3) The name, breed, and age of the canine. 26
74+(b) Upon receipt of all information required in subsection (a) of this section, the 27
75+Department shall issue to the covered first responder unit a certification that the canine has been 28
76+registered as a retired first responder canine for purposes of this Article. 29
77+(c) The covered first responder unit shall provide a copy of the retired first responder 30
78+certification to the canine's new owner. 31
79+"§ 143-166.93. Registration of a retired first responder canine owner with the Department 32
80+of Public Safety. 33
81+(a) An owner of a retired first responder canine who seeks reimbursement for veterinary 34
82+care of the canine shall register with the Department of Public Safety. Registration of the owner 35
83+shall require the following information from the owner: 36
84+(1) Name, telephone number, and mailing address of the owner. 37
85+(2) Proof of ownership of the retired first responder canine. 38
86+(3) A copy of the retired first responder canine certification from the covered first 39
87+responder unit from which the canine retired. 40
88+(b) The owner shall be responsible for notifying the Department of any changes to the 41
89+information required for registration pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. 42
90+(c) Upon receipt of all information required in subsection (a) of this section, the 43
91+Department shall register the owner as the approved Fund recipient for any eligible 44
92+reimbursements paid for the retired first responder canine's veterinary care. 45
93+"§ 143-166.94. Application for reimbursement. 46
94+(a) When a retired first responder canine receives veterinary care, the registered owner 47
95+of the canine may apply to the Department of Public Safety pursuant to the provisions of this 48
96+Article for the reimbursement of that care up to the amount of one thousand five hundred dollars 49
97+($1,500) in a State fiscal year. 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
98+House Bill 300-First Edition Page 3
99+(b) When seeking reimbursement in accordance with the provisions of this Article, the 1
100+registered owner of the retired first responder canine must submit an application for 2
101+reimbursement within 90 days of the date of the veterinary care received by the retired first 3
102+responder canine. 4
103+(c) The application for reimbursement shall be submitted on a form created by the 5
104+Department which shall, at a minimum, require the following information: 6
105+(1) The name of the registered owner. 7
106+(2) An itemized statement from the veterinarian that includes all of the following 8
107+information for veterinary care services provided to the retired first responder 9
108+canine: 10
109+a. The name, telephone number, and mailing address of the veterinarian. 11
110+b. The name of the retired first responder canine that received veterinary 12
111+care from the veterinarian. 13
112+c. The date the retired first responder canine received veterinary care 14
113+from the veterinarian. 15
114+d. The specific veterinary care services provided. 16
115+e. The cost of each veterinary care service provided. 17
116+f. Confirmation that the registered owner paid for the veterinary care 18
117+services. 19
118+(3) Any additional information required by the Department to verify the 20
119+authenticity of the veterinary care services or costs submitted by the registered 21
120+owner in the application for reimbursement. 22
121+(d) The Department may deny an application for reimbursement under any of the 23
122+following circumstances: 24
123+(1) The canine that received veterinary care is not a registered first responder 25
124+canine pursuant to G.S. 143-166.92. 26
125+(2) The owner has not registered with the Department pursuant to 27
126+G.S. 143-166.93. 28
127+(3) The registered owner's application for reimbursement does not contain all 29
128+required information set forth in G.S. 143-166.94. 30
129+(4) The application for reimbursement contains inaccurate or materially false 31
130+information. 32
131+(5) The registered owner has already received the maximum reimbursement 33
132+amount for the retired first responder canine for the State fiscal year. 34
133+(6) The funds allocated for this program have been exhausted for the fiscal year. 35
134+"§ 143-166.95. Creation of Fund; management. 36
135+There is established within the Department of Public Safety the Retired First Responder 37
136+Canine Fund. All monies in the Fund shall not revert. Awards from the Fund shall be distributed 38
137+in accordance with this Article. 39
138+The Department of Public Safety shall have the power to adopt rules for the administration 40
139+of the provisions of this Article and shall have the authority to use up to one percent (1%) of 41
140+monies received by the Retired First Responder Canine Fund for the purpose of administering 42
141+the Fund. The Department of Public Safety shall be vested with the power to make all 43
142+determinations necessary for the administration of this Article and all of its decisions and 44
143+determinations shall be final and conclusive and not subject to review or reversal. 45
144+"§ 143-166.96. Record keeping. 46
145+In relation to applications received under this Article, the Department of Public Safety shall 47
146+keep a record of the following: 48
147+(1) All applications received. 49
148+(2) All application determinations. 50
149+(3) All funds disbursed. 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
150+Page 4 House Bill 300-First Edition
151+"§ 143-166.97. Names of owners of retired first responder canines not a public record. 1
152+Except as otherwise provided in this section, the name, address, and telephone number of the 2
153+registered owner of the retired first responder canine is confidential and shall not be considered 3
154+a public record as that term is defined in G.S. 132-1. Nothing in this section prohibits the 4
155+Department of Public Safety from sharing any information directly necessary for the 5
156+administration of the Fund. 6
157+"§ 143-166.98. Other benefits not affected; elective participation. 7
158+(a) No other benefits now provided for retired first responder canines shall be affected 8
159+by the provisions of this Article, and the benefits provided for in this Article shall not be 9
160+diminished, abated, or otherwise affected by the provision of benefits to retired first responder 10
161+canines under any other provision of law. 11
162+(b) Owners of retired first responder canines are not required to seek reimbursement for 12
163+veterinary care under this Article, and the failure to seek that reimbursement in a given year shall 13
164+not preclude an owner from seeking future reimbursement under this Article." 14
165+SECTION 2. G.S. 17F-21 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 15
166+"(c) The terms and conditions outlined in the transfer of ownership of a service dog, as 16
167+referenced in subsection (a) of this section, shall not prevent the owner of a retired first responder 17
168+canine from applying for reimbursement of veterinary care for a retired first responder canine in 18
169+accordance with Article 12I of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes." 19
170+SECTION 3. G.S. 150B-1(d) reads as rewritten: 20
171+"(d) Exemptions from Rule Making. – Article 2A of this Chapter does not apply to the 21
172+following: 22
173+… 23
174+(35) The Department of Public Safety with respect to administering the Retired 24
175+First Responder Canine Fund under Article 12I of Chapter 143 of the General 25
176+Statutes." 26
177+SECTION 4. G.S. 150B-1(e) reads as rewritten: 27
178+"(e) Exemptions From Contested Case Provisions. – The contested case provisions of this 28
179+Chapter apply to all agencies and all proceedings not expressly exempted from the Chapter. The 29
180+contested case provisions of this Chapter do not apply to the following: 30
181+… 31
182+(30) The Department of Public Safety with respect to any decision necessary to 32
183+administer the Retired First Responder Canine Fund under Article 12I of 33
184+Chapter 143 of the General Statutes." 34
185+SECTION 5. For purposes of satisfying the eligibility requirements established in 35
186+G.S. 143-166.92, as enacted by Section 1 of this act, a first responder unit may register with the 36
187+Department of Public Safety a first responder canine that retired on or after July 1, 2024. 37
188+SECTION 6. Notwithstanding G.S. 143C-5-2, there is appropriated from the 38
189+General Fund to the Retired First Responder Canine Fund the sum of four hundred thousand 39
190+dollars ($400,000) in recurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to be used in accordance with 40
191+the provisions of Article 12I of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes, as enacted by this act. 41
192+SECTION 7. This act is effective 45 days after it becomes law. 42