Bill Text: NC S856 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Spay and Neuter
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-05-11 - Ref to Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources. If fav, re-ref to Appropriations/Base Budget [S856 Detail]
Download: North_Carolina-2015-S856-Amended.html
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2015
S 1
SENATE BILL 856
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Short Title: Spay and Neuter. |
(Public) |
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Sponsors: |
Senators McKissick, Smith (Primary Sponsors); Bryant and Waddell. |
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Referred to: |
Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources |
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May 11, 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.
(a) A county or city is eligible for reimbursement from the Spay/Neuter Account if it meets the following condition:
(1) The county or city offers one or more of the following programs to low‑income persons on a year‑round basis for the purpose of reducing the cost of spaying and neutering procedures for dogs and cats:
a. A spay/neuter clinic operated by the county or city.
b. A spay/neuter clinic
operated by a non‑profit organization under contract or other arrangement
with the county or city, provided that the non‑profit organization
contracts with a local veterinarian to perform the spay/neuter procedures.city.
c. A contract or contracts with one or more veterinarians, whether or not located within the county, to provide reduced‑cost spaying and neutering procedures.
d. Subvention of the spaying
and neutering costs incurred by low‑income pet owners through the use of
vouchers or other procedure that provides a discount of the cost of the spaying
or neutering procedure fixed by a participating veterinarian.veterinarian
or other provider.
e. Subvention of the spaying and neutering costs incurred by persons who adopt a pet from an animal shelter operated by or under contract with the county or city.
(2) Reserved for future codification purposes.
(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
notice of the opportunity to participate in the program created by this
Article through electronic or other means to all local veterinarians.
veterinarians providing services for small animals to the public. Proof
of the provision notice 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 persons eligible
spay and neuter procedures in that city or county compares to the total rate
of spays and neuters per one thousand persons number 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 persons eligible
spay and neuter procedures in that city or county compares to the total
rate of spays and neuters per one thousand persons number 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.
