Bill Text: NC S730 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Amended


Bill Title: Spay and Neuter

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-04-26 - Ref To Com On Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources [S730 Detail]

Download: North_Carolina-2015-S730-Amended.html

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2015

S                                                                                                                                                     1

SENATE BILL 730

 

 

Short Title:      Spay and Neuter.

(Public)

Sponsors:

Senators Smith (Primary Sponsor), Waddell and Woodard.

Referred to:

Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources

April 26, 2016

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to increase access to spay and neuter services for low‑Income north carolinians.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 19A‑63 reads as rewritten:

"§ 19A‑63.  Eligibility for distributions from Spay/Neuter Account; Definitions.

...

(b)        The following definitions apply in this Article:

(1)        Local veterinarian. – A veterinarian licensed by the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Board under Article 11 of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes and practicing within the county where the services are provided. If no licensed veterinarian practices within that county, then a local veterinarian is a licensed veterinarian practicing in a county adjacent to the county where the services are provided. For purposes of this definition, "practicing" means engaging in the practice of veterinary medicine, as defined in Article 11 of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes.

(2)        Low‑income person. – An individual who qualifies for one or more of the programs of public assistance administered by the Department of Health and Human Services pursuant to Chapter 108A of the General Statutes or whose annual household income is lower than one hundred percent (100%)three hundred percent (300%) of the federal poverty level guidelines published by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

(c)        Each county shall make rules or publish guidelines that designate what proof a low‑income person must submit to establish that the person has an annual household income lower than one hundred percent (100%)three hundred percent (300%) of the federal poverty level guidelines published by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

(d)       Each county shall provide the opportunity to participate in the program created by this Article to all local veterinarians. Proof of the provision of this opportunity shall be included in the first reimbursement request of each calendar year."

SECTION 2.  G.S. 19A‑64(c) reads as rewritten:

"(c)      Distribution. – The Department shall make payments from the Spay/Neuter Account to eligible counties and cities who have made timely application for reimbursement within 30 days of the closing date for receipt of applications for that quarter. In the event that total requests for reimbursement exceed the amounts available in the Spay/neuter Account for distribution, the monies available will be distributed as follows:

(1)        Fifty percent (50%) of the monies available in the Spay/Neuter Account shall be reserved for reimbursement for eligible applicants within development tier one areas as defined in G.S. 143B‑437.08. The remaining fifty percent (50%) of the funds shall be used to fund reimbursement requests from eligible applicants in development tier two and three areas as defined in G.S. 143B‑437.08.

(2)        Among the eligible counties and cities in development tier one areas, reimbursement shall be made to each eligible county or city in the proportion that the rate total number of spays and neuters per one thousand personseligible spay and neuter procedures in that city or county compares to the total rate of spays and neuters per one thousand personsnumber of eligible reimbursement requests submitted from all cities and counties within the total tier one area. Population data shall be obtained from the most recent decennial census.

(3)        Among the eligible counties and cities in development tier two and three areas, reimbursement shall be made to each eligible county or city in the proportion that the rate total number of spays and neuters per one thousand personseligible spay and neuter procedures in that city or county compares to the total rate of spays and neuters per one thousand personsnumber of eligible reimbursement requests submitted from all cities and counties within the total tier two and three area. Population data shall be obtained from the most recent decennial census.

(4)        Should funds remain available from the fifty percent (50%) of the Spay/Neuter Account designated for development tier one areas after reimbursement of all claims by eligible applicants in those areas, the remaining funds shall be made available to reimburse eligible applicants in development tier two and three areas."

SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2016.

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