AN ACT to clarify language regarding the registration requirement for service animals under the laws pertaining to Persons with disabilities to conform with federal law and to appropriate funds FOR a campaign to notify the public of the rights of persons with disabilities.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 168‑4.2 reads as rewritten:

§ 168‑4.2.  May be accompanied by service animal.

(a)        Every person with a disability has the right to be accompanied by a service animal trained to assist the person with his or her specific disability in any of the places listed in G.S. 168‑3, and has the right to keep the service animal on any premises the person leases, rents, or uses. The person qualifies for these rights upon the showing of a tag, issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, under G.S. 168‑4.3, stamped NORTH CAROLINA SERVICE ANIMAL PERMANENT REGISTRATION and stamped with a registration number, or upon a showing that the animal is being trained or has been trained as a service animal. The service animal may accompany a person in any of the places listed in G.S. 168‑3.

(b)        An animal in training to become a service animal may be taken into any of the places listed in G.S. 168‑3 for the purpose of training when the animal is accompanied by a person who is training the service animal and the animal wears a collar and leash, harness, or cape that identifies the animal as a service animal in training. The trainer shall be liable for any damage caused by the animal while using a public conveyance or on the premises of a public facility or other place listed in G.S. 168‑3.

SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services the sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) for the 2022‑2023 fiscal year to develop and implement a campaign notifying the public of the rights of persons with disabilities in accordance with this act.

SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2022.