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GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
SESSION LAW 2025-42
HOUSE BILL 975
*H975-v-5*
AN ACT TO ALLOW EMER GENCY MEDICAL SERVIC ES PERSONNEL, WHILE ON
DUTY, TO CARRY PEPPER SPRAY OPENLY OR CO NCEALED, AND TO PROVIDE
AN EXEMPTION TO THE PRACTICE OF VETERINA RY MEDICINE FOR
EMERGENCY PERSONNEL WHO RENDER EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES TO
AN INJURED K-9 POLICE ANIMAL OR AN INJURED SEARCH AND RESCUE DOG
AT THE SCENE OF AN EMERGENCY.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
PART I. ALLOW EMS PERSONNEL TO CARRY PEPPER SPRAY
SECTION 1.(a) G.S. 131E-158 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(c) The North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services and the Commission shall
adopt rules to permit emergency medical services personnel to carry, openly or concealed, any
pepper spray consistent with G.S. 14-401.6(a)(7). The rules adopted ma y require emergency
medical services personnel to complete training which shall not exceed NC Basic Law
Enforcement Training standards in the use of pepper spray and obtain the approval of the
affiliated EMS provider pursuant to its policy regarding use pr ior to carrying pepper spray and
prohibit the discharge of pepper spray in the ambulance compartment during transport of the
patient. For purposes of this subsection, the term "pepper spray" means a chemical irritant such
as mace, oleoresin capsicum or pepper spray, or tear gas."
SECTION 1.(b) This Part becomes effective July 1, 2025.
PART II. ALLOW EMS P ERSONNEL TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY AID AND
TRANSPORT TO INJURED POLICE K-9 UNITS AND SEARCH AND RESCUE DOGS
SECTION 2.(a) G.S. 90-187.10 reads as rewritten:
"§ 90-187.10. Necessity for license; certain practices exempted.
No individual shall engage in the practice of veterinary medicine without having a veterinary
license from the Board. No person, as defined in G.S. 90-181(5), may own a veterinary facility
without having a veterinary facility permit from the Board.
Nothing in this Article shall be construed to prohibit:
…
(13) Emergency medical services personnel, as defined in G.S. 131E-155, except
that individuals solely credentialed as emergency medical dispatchers shall
not be considered emergency medical services personnel for purposes of this
subdivision, who may provide emergency medical transport or emergency
medical services to a n injured K -9 police unit animal or an injured certified
search and rescue dog deployed by or contracted to work with a federal, State,
or local agency or department at the scene of an emergency."
SECTION 2.(b) Article 7 of Chapter 131E of the General Statutes is amended by
adding a new section to read:
"§ 131E -155.2. Emergency medical treatment for K -9 unit or search and rescue dog ;
limited immunity.
Page 2 Session Law 2025-42 House Bill 975
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, emergency medical services personnel shall not
be prosecuted for providing emergency medical transport or emergency medical services to an
injured K-9 police unit animal or an injured search and rescue dog if the emergency medical
services personnel acted in good faith when providing emergency medical trans port or
emergency medical services to an injured K-9 police unit animal or an injured search and rescue
dog at the scene of an emergency. The immunity established by this section does not extend to
gross negligence, wanton conduct, or intentional wrongdoing that would otherwise be actionable.
For purposes of this section, a search and rescue dog is defined as a dog certified by any national
certification organization that is deployed by or contracted to work with a federal, State, or local
agency or department , and individuals solely credentialed as emergency medical dispatchers
shall not be considered emergency medical services personnel."
SECTION 2.(c) This Part is effective 30 days after becoming law and applies to acts
on or after that date.
PART III. EFFECTIVE DATE
SECTION 3. Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes
law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 25th day of June, 2025.
s/ Rachel Hunt
President of the Senate
s/ Destin Hall
Speaker of the House of Representatives
s/ Josh Stein
Governor
Approved 10:17 a.m. this 1st day of July, 2025