AN ACT to allow the towns of apex, cary, garner, knightdale, morrisville, rolesville, wake forest, and zebulon AND THE COUNTY OF YANCEY, AND ALL OF THE MUNICIPALITIES IN THAT COUNTY, to transfer retired service animals owned by that town to the officer or employee who had normal custody and control of the animal.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Article 12 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 160A‑279.5.  Disposition of animals.
(a)	Upon the governing body determining any horse, dog, or other animal owned by the local government is no longer fit or needed for public service, the governing body may transfer ownership of the animal at a price determined by the governing body and upon any other terms and conditions as the governing body deems appropriate to any of the following individuals, if that individual agrees to accept ownership, care, and custody of the animal:
(1)	The officer or employee who had normal custody and control of the animal during the animal's public service to the local government.
(2)	A surviving spouse, or in the event such officer or employee dies unsurvived by a spouse, surviving children of the officer or employee killed in the line of duty who had normal custody and control of the animal during the animal's public service to the local government.
(3)	An organization or program dedicated to the assistance or support of animals retired from public service.
(b)	This section applies only to the Towns of Apex, Cary, Garner, Knightdale, Morrisville, Rolesville, Wake Forest, and Zebulon and the County of Yancey, and all of the municipalities that lie in whole, or in part, in that county."
SECTION 1.5.  If House Bill 550, 2016 Regular Session, becomes law, this act is repealed.
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 27th day of June, 2016.

	s/	 Daniel J. Forest
	 President of the Senate

	s/	 Tim Moore
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives