GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2005

HOUSE BILL 888

RATIFIED BILL

AN ACT to increase the PENALTY for cockfighting.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 14‑362 reads as rewritten:

"§ 14‑362.  Cock fighting. Cockfighting.

A person who instigates, promotes, conducts, is employed at, allows property under his ownership or control to be used for, participates as a spectator at, or profits from an exhibition featuring the fighting of a cock is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.I felony. A lease of property that is used or is intended to be used for an exhibition featuring the fighting of a cock is void, and a lessor who knows this use is made or is intended to be made of his property is under a duty to evict the lessee immediately."

SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective December 1, 2005, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 23^rd day of August, 2005.

                                                                        _____________________________________

                                                                         Beverly E. Perdue

                                                                         President of the Senate

                                                                        _____________________________________

                                                                         James B. Black

                                                                         Speaker of the House of Representatives

                                                                        _____________________________________

                                                                         Michael F. Easley

                                                                         Governor

Approved __________.m. this ______________ day of ___________________, 2005