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A5217
ASSEMBLY, No. 5217
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED JUNE 4, 2026
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman� GREGORY P. MCGUCKIN
District 10 (Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
���� Permits ambulance transport of injured law
enforcement canine under certain circumstances.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
concerning law enforcement canines and supplementing
Title 2A of the New Jersey Statutes and Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� a.� As used in this act:
���� �Emergency care provider�
means an emergency medical technician, paramedic, or member of a first aid,
ambulance, or rescue squad.
���� �Emergency medical services
provider� means any association, organization, company, department, agency,
service, program, unit, or other entity that provides pre-hospital emergency
medical care to patients in this State including, but not limited to, a basic
life support ambulance service, a mobile intensive care unit, an air medical
service, or a volunteer or non-volunteer first aid, rescue, and ambulance
squad.
���� �Law enforcement canine� means
a dog employed by a government entity for the principal purpose of aiding in
the:
���� (1) detection of missing
persons, cadavers, criminal activity, flammable materials, or incendiary
devices;
���� (2) apprehension of criminal
offenders;
���� (3) enforcement of laws; or
���� (4) investigation of fires.
���� b.��� (1)� An emergency
medical services provider may transport to a veterinary clinic or similar
facility a law enforcement canine that is injured during the course of duty if
there is no person requiring medical attention or transport at the time.
���� (2)�� An emergency care
provider certified or licensed by the Department of Health pursuant to section
1 of P.L.2013, c.101 (C.26:2K-65) or section 2 of P.L.1984, c.146 (C.26:2K-8)
and trained in canine tactical combat casualty care or another emergency canine
care protocol may provide emergency care to a law enforcement canine injured
during the course of duty if there is no person requiring medical attention or
transport at the time.
���� (3)�� A member of a volunteer first
aid, rescue, or ambulance squad in compliance with training standards adopted
by the New Jersey State First Aid Council pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1987,
c.284 (C.27:5F-22) and trained in canine tactical combat casualty care or
another emergency canine care protocol may provide emergency care to a law
enforcement canine injured during the course of duty if there is no person
requiring medical attention or transport at the time.
���� c.���� The Commissioner of
Health and the Director of the Office of Highway Traffic Safety in the
Department of Law and Public Safety shall adopt rules and regulations to
effectuate the provisions of this act in accordance with the �Administrative
Procedure Act,� P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.).
���� 2.��� An emergency medical
services provider or emergency care provider acting in good faith and within
the scope of applicable regulations promulgated pursuant to this act shall be
immune from civil or criminal liability resulting from transport or care provided
to a law enforcement canine.
���� 3.��� This act shall take
effect on the first day of the 13th month next following enactment, except that
the Commissioner of Health and the Director of the Office of Highway Traffic
Safety in the Department of Law and Public Safety may take anticipatory
administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation
of this act.
STATEMENT
���� This bill permits emergency
medical services providers to transport injured law enforcement canines to
veterinary care by ambulance when injured during the course of duty.
���� The bill defines �emergency
medical services providers� as any association, organization, company,
department, agency, service, program, unit, or other entity that provides
pre-hospital emergency medical care to patients in this State including, but
not limited to, basic life support ambulance service, a mobile intensive care
unit, an air medical service, or a volunteer or non-volunteer first aid,
rescue, and ambulance squad.� Under the bill, a �law enforcement canines� is a dog
employed by a government entity to aid in the: detection of missing persons,
cadavers, flammable or incendiary materials; apprehension of criminal
offenders; enforcement of laws; or investigation of criminal activity.
���� The bill provides that if no
person requires medical attention or transport, emergency medical services
providers may transport injured law enforcement canines to emergency veterinary
clinics or similar facilities. �Additionally, certain emergency care providers may
provide emergency care to injured law enforcement canines if: 1) no person
requires care or transport at the time; 2) the provider is certified or
licensed by the Department of Health or in compliance with training standards
adopted by the New Jersey State First Aid Council; and 3) the provider is also
trained in canine tactical combat casualty care or another emergency canine
care protocol.
���� The bill also provides that emergency
medical services providers and emergency care providers acting in good faith
and within the scope of regulations promulgated by the Commissioner of Health
or the Director of the Office of Highway Traffic Safety in the Department of
Law and Public Safety pursuant to this bill are immune from civil or criminal
liability resulting from transport or care provided to law enforcement canines.