AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR AN OPEN SEASON FOR taking foxes with weapons and for taking foxes and coyotes by trapping in all counties west of interstate 95.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 113‑291.4B reads as rewritten:

§ 113‑291.4B.  Taking foxes and coyotes in certain counties.

(a)        Notwithstanding any other provision of law, there is an open season for taking foxes with weapons and for taking foxes and coyotes by trapping during the trapping season set by the Wildlife Resources Commission each year, with no tagging requirements prior to or after sale.

(b)        No bag limit applies to coyotes and foxes taken under this section.

(c)        This section applies only to Cabarrus, Caldwell, Cleveland, Cumberland, Gaston, McDowell, Mitchell, Montgomery, Rowan, Rutherford, Stokes, and Yancey Counties.counties that are located west of or are traversed by Interstate 95.

SECTION 2.(a)  The following local acts are repealed:

(1)        Alamance. – Chapter 825 of the 1989 Session Laws and S.L. 2008‑44.

(2)        Allegheny. – S.L. 2011‑32.

(3)        Anson. – Chapter 879 of the 1989 Session Laws.

(4)        Ashe. – S.L. 2007‑51, as rewritten by Section 2 of S.L. 2010‑82.

(5)        Avery. – Chapter 180 of the 1985 Session Laws.

(6)        Burke. – Chapter 163 of the 1989 Session Laws.

(7)        Caswell. – Chapter 411 of the Public‑Local and Private Laws of 1937.

(8)        Chatham. – Chapter 80 of the 1995 Session Laws.

(9)        Franklin, Granville, Vance. – Sections 1, 2, and 3 of Chapter 208 of the 1993 Session Laws, as amended by S.L. 2004‑44.

(10)      Granville. – Chapter 670 of the 1963 Session Laws.

(11)      Halifax. – Section 3 of Chapter 571 of the Public‑Local Laws of 1925, with respect to fox hunting seasons, and Chapter 279 of the 1995 Session Laws.

(12)      Haywood. – Chapter 322 of the 1963 Session Laws.

(13)      Hoke, Person, Robeson, Scotland. – Chapter 108 of the 1985 Session Laws, as amended by Chapter 890 of the 1985 Session Laws (2nd Session 1986).

(14)      Iredell. – Chapter 664 of the 1985 Session Laws.

(15)      Johnston. – S.L. 2007‑47.

(16)      Lee. – Chapter 636 of the 1977 Session Laws.

(17)      Lincoln. – Sections 1 and 2 of Chapter 449 of the Public‑Local Laws of 1925.

(18)      Madison. – Chapter 1040 of the 1951 Session Laws.

(19)      Northampton. – Chapter 727 of the 1993 Session Laws.

(20)      Richmond. – S.L. 2001‑133.

(21)      Rockingham. – Chapter 179 of the 1985 Session Laws, as amended by S.L. 2011‑136 and S.L. 2022‑74.

(22)      Stanly. – Chapter 879 of the 1989 Session Laws.

(23)      Surry. – Section 6 of Chapter 474 of the Public‑Local Laws of 1925, with respect to fox seasons, and S.L. 2011‑32.

(24)      Wilkes. – Chapter 385 of the 1971 Session Laws.

(25)      City of Winston‑Salem. – Section 1 of S.L. 2010‑82.

(26)      Yadkin. – Chapter 199 of the 1953 Session Laws and S.L. 2017‑73.

SECTION 2.(b)  G.S. 113‑133.1(e) reads as rewritten:

(e)      Because of strong community interest expressed in their retention, the local acts or portions of local acts listed in this section are not repealed. The following local acts are retained to the extent they apply to the county for which listed:

…

Anson: Former G.S. 113‑111, as amended by Section 2 of Session Laws 1955, Chapter 286.

Ashe: Former G.S. 113‑111; Session Laws 1951, Chapter 665.

…

Catawba: Former G.S. 113‑111, as amended by Session Laws 1955, Chapter 1037.

…

Granville: Session Laws 1963, Chapter 670.

…

Halifax: Public‑Local Laws 1925, Chapter 571, Section 3 (with respect to fox‑hunting seasons); Session Laws 1947, Chapter 954; Session Laws 1955, Chapter 1376.

Haywood: Former G.S. 113‑111, as modified by Session Laws 1963, Chapter 322.

Henderson: Former G.S. 113‑111.

…

Lee: Session Laws 1963, Chapter 271; Session Laws 1977, Chapter 636.271.

…

Lincoln: Public‑Local Laws 1925, Chapter 449, Sections 1 and 2; Session Laws 1955, Chapter 878.

Madison: Public‑Local Laws 1925, Chapter 418, Section 4; Session Laws 1951, Chapter 1040.Section 4.

…

Surry: Public‑Local Laws 1925, Chapter 474, Section 6 (as it pertains to fox seasons); Session Laws 1975, Chapter 269, as amended by Session Laws 1977, Chapter 167.

…

Wilkes: Former G.S. 113‑111, as amended by Session Laws 1971, Chapter 385; Session Laws 1951, Chapter 665; Session Laws 1973, Chapter 106; Session Laws 1979, Chapter 507.

Yadkin: Former G.S. 113‑111, as amended by Session Laws 1953, Chapter 199; Session Laws 1979, Chapter 507.

….

SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective October 1, 2023, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.