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H1169 • 2025

Prohibit Driving with Animal in Lap.

Prohibit Driving with Animal in Lap.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Hawkins, Greenfield, Ball, G. Brown, K. Brown, Butler, Cervania, Dahle, Logan
Last action
2026-05-04
Official status
Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
Effective date
2026-12-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Prohibit Driving with Animal in Lap.

Prohibit Driving with Animal in Lap.

What This Bill Does

  • Prohibit Driving with Animal in Lap.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-04 House

    Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

  2. 2026-05-04 House

    Passed 1st Reading

  3. 2026-04-30 House

    Filed

Official Summary Text

Prohibit Driving with Animal in Lap.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 1169

Short Title: Prohibit Driving with Animal in Lap. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Hawkins and Greenfield (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
May 4, 2026
*H1169-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO INCREASE SAFETY ON THE ROADS BY PROHIBITING THE OPERATION 2
OF A MOTOR VEHICLE WHILE THE DRIVER IS HOLDING A LIVE ANIMAL IN THE 3
PERSON'S LAP. 4
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
SECTION 1. Part 10 of Article 3 of Chapter 20 of the General Statutes is amended 6
by adding a new section to read: 7
"§ 20-140.6. Unlawful to operate motor vehicle while holding live animal in lap. 8
(a) Offense. – It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a vehic le on a public street, 9
highway, or public vehicular area while holding a live animal in the person's lap. 10
(b) Penalty. – A violation of this section shall be an infraction and shall be punishable by 11
a fine of one hundred dollars ($100.00) and the costs of court. 12
(c) Points. – No drivers license points or insurance surcharge shall be assessed as a result 13
of a violation of this section. 14
(d) Negligence. – Failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall not constitute 15
negligence per se or contributory negligence per se by the operator in any action for the recovery 16
of damages arising out of the operation, ownership, or maintenance of a vehicle." 17
SECTION 2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 18
Transportation the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 19
2026-2027 fiscal year to be used to conduct a public awareness campaign regarding the 20
requirements of this act. 21
SECTION 3. Section 2 of this act is effective July 1, 2026. The remainder of this act 22
becomes effective December 1, 2026, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date. 23