In July 2016, I wrote a blog post entitled Rabies Prevention and Control: Integrating Recent Research into North Carolina’s Legal Framework. It tells the story of Duke – a dog that was potentially exposed to rabies. Since that time, the … Read more

A county director of social services may be appointed to serve as guardian for an adult who has been adjudicated incompetent by a clerk of superior court. Making decisions about health care, particularly end of life care, is often one … Read more

This post is co-authored with Christine Wunsche, the Director of the School of Government’s Legislative Reporting Service. Tomorrow, January 25, the North Carolina General Assembly returns to Raleigh to begin the business of the new biennium. Here at the School … Read more

Today the North Carolina General Assembly (NCGA) convenes for the 2017-18 biennium.  With a Democrat as Governor and a strong Republican majority in the legislature, I have been reflecting on the dynamic that emerged when our state was in a … Read more

Animal services programs have a variety of local government homes – they may be in the local health department, law enforcement agency, city or county administration, or a standalone department. There are also intergovernmental programs, such as a county agreeing … Read more

Yesterday, August 21, was National Senior Citizens Day. When President Reagan issued the proclamation first recognizing this day, he explained: For all they have achieved throughout life and for all they continue to accomplish, we owe older citizens our thanks … Read more

UPDATE:  The rabies law was amended in 2017.  A revised version of this post is available here. Your dog, Duke, is outside in the yard and has an unexpected encounter with a raccoon. The raccoon bit Duke and there is … Read more

If you have reasonable cause to believe that a disabled adult has been abused, neglected, or exploited and is in need of protective services, you are required to report your concerns to the county department of social services (DSS). GS … Read more

Child abuse investigations and case files. Applications for Medicaid, child care subsidies, and cash assistance. Financial records related to exploitation of disabled adults. These are only a few examples of the types of records maintained by county departments of social … Read more

It is a crime to allow livestock to run at-large in North Carolina, with the exception of some remarkable horses on the Outer Banks. G.S. 68-16; G.S. 68-42. What’s a local government’s role with respect to these wandering animals? State … Read more