AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO RETIRED LAW-ENFORCEMENT ANIMALS.

This Act provides financial support to owners who adopt a horse that retired from serving with the Department of Correction, State or Capitol police, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, or the Office of the State Fire Marshal. The owners of these retired-law enforcement horses may be reimbursed up to $3,000 annually for veterinary care expenses and farrier services paid by the owner for the care of the retired law-enforcement horse. The Department that the retired law-enforcement horse assisted shall issue veterinary care and farrier services reimbursements and promulgate regulations to create a reimbursement process for retired law-enforcement horses. This Act also makes structural changes to incorporate the support for retired law-enforcement animals into a single subchapter. This Act changes subchapter VII of Title 16 from the Retired Law-Enforcement Canine Act into the Retired Law-Enforcement Animals Act. This Act moves all the definitions into their own section, and adds and modifies definitions, as needed, to account for the addition of horses. This Act is effective immediately and shall be implemented 6 months after enactment. This Act does not apply to law-enforcement horses that retire before the implementation date of this Act. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.