WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

HB 975

EMS Personnel Provisions.

2025-2026 Session Introduced by Jennifer Balkcom and 6 co-sponsors

EMS personnel may carry pepper spray on duty and provide emergency care/transport to injured police K-9s and certified search-and-rescue dogs, with limited good-faith immunity.

Signed by Gov. 7/1/2025
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 975

HB 975 — EMS Personnel Provisions (Session Law 2025-42)

Status: Ratified by the North Carolina General Assembly and signed by the Governor on July 1, 2025.
Introduced: (per file) November 12, 2024.

Main purpose

Two related reforms for emergency medical services (EMS) personnel in North Carolina:
1. Permit EMS personnel, while on duty, to carry pepper spray (openly or concealed) subject to rules and training.
2. Allow EMS personnel to render emergency medical care and transport to injured police K‑9s and certified search-and-rescue dogs at the scene of an emergency and provide limited legal immunity for good‑faith actions.

Key provisions

Part I — Pepper spray
- Adds a new subsection to G.S. 131E-158 directing the North Carolina Office of EMS and the Commission to adopt rules permitting EMS personnel to carry pepper spray consistent with G.S. 14-401.6(a)(7).
- Rules may require training (but not to exceed North Carolina Basic Law Enforcement Training standards) and require approval by the affiliated EMS provider/policy before carrying.
- Rules may prohibit discharge of pepper spray inside the ambulance compartment during patient transport.
- Defines “pepper spray” to include chemical irritants such as mace or oleoresin capsicum.
- Effective date for this Part: July 1, 2025.

Part II — Emergency treatment/transport of K‑9s and immunity
- Amends G.S. 90-187.10 to clarify that EMS personnel (excluding individuals solely credentialed as emergency medical dispatchers) may provide emergency medical transport or services to injured police K‑9s or certified search-and-rescue dogs deployed by/contracted with government agencies at the scene of an emergency.
- Creates G.S. 131E-155.2 establishing limited immunity: EMS personnel acting in good faith in providing emergency medical transport or services to such animals at the scene shall not be prosecuted for those acts. Immunity does not extend to gross negligence, wanton conduct, or intentional wrongdoing.
- Defines “search and rescue dog” as one certified by any national certification organization and deployed/contracted with government agencies.
- Effective date for this Part: 30 days after enactment; overall act effective upon becoming law.

Who is affected

  • Primary: licensed and credentialed EMS personnel in North Carolina (explicitly excludes those credentialed solely as emergency medical dispatchers).
  • EMS agencies and affiliated providers (must set and approve policies; participate in required training).
  • Law enforcement and search-and-rescue programs that deploy K‑9s may rely on EMS for on‑scene emergency care/transport of injured dogs.
  • Patients and public safety operations could be indirectly affected by policy changes governing pepper spray use and animal rescue responses.

Rulemaking, limits, and liability

  • The Office of EMS and the Commission must adopt implementing rules (training, provider approval, operational limits such as prohibition of discharge in transport).
  • Legal protection for EMS delivering emergency care to K‑9s is limited to good‑faith acts; does not cover gross negligence or intentional wrongdoing.

Legislative timeline / procedural notes

  • Passed both chambers, ratified June 25, 2025 (per session record), and signed by the Governor July 1, 2025 (Session Law 2025-42). Parts have staggered effective dates as noted above.

(Prepared as an objective summary of enacted provisions; no fiscal note was included in the bill text provided.)

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.