77-56. Filing and publication of joint ordinances.

(a) A copy of the joint ordinance creating the Commission and of any joint ordinance amending or repealing the joint resolution creating the Commission shall be filed with the Executive Director of the Wildlife Commission. When the Executive Director receives ordinances that are in substance identical from the two counties concerned, the Executive Director shall, within 10 days, certify this fact and distribute a certified single ordinance text to the following:

(1) The Secretary of State.

(2) The clerk to the governing board of each of the two counties.

(3) The clerk of superior court of Davidson and Rowan Counties. Upon request, the Executive Director shall also send a certified single copy of any and all applicable joint ordinances to the chairman of the Commission.

(4) A newspaper of general circulation in the two counties.

(b) Unless a joint ordinance specifies a later date, it shall take effect when the Executive Director's certified text has been submitted to the Secretary of State for filing. Certifications of the Executive Director under the seal of the Commission as to the text or amended text of any joint ordinance and of the date or dates of submission to the Secretary of State shall be admissible in evidence in any court. Certifications by any clerk of superior court of the text of any certified ordinance filed with him by the Executive Director is admissible in evidence and the Executive Director's submission of the resolution for filing to the clerk shall constitute prima facie evidence that such resolution was on the date of submission also submitted for filing with the Secretary of State. Except for the certificate of a clerk as to receipt and date of submission, no evidence may be admitted in court concerning the submission of the certified text of any ordinance by the Executive Director to any person other than the Secretary of State.