North Carolina allows emergency medical services personnel to carry pepper spray while on duty

Original title: EMS Personnel Provisions.

Last action · July 1, 2025: Ch. SL 2025-42Sponsors: Paul Scott and 6 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Would Do

Emergency medical services personnel in North Carolina are newly permitted to carry pepper spray openly or concealed while on duty starting July 1, 2025. State agencies and commissions are barred from enforcing any rules that prohibit EMS personnel from carrying this self-defense tool.

Why it matters

State regulatory bodies must rewrite their administrative rules to remove existing bans on chemical irritants for medical first responders.

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Emergency medical services personnel

EMS personnel gain the legal authorization to carry pepper spray openly or concealed while on duty.

Directly affected

North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services

The office is prohibited from enforcing rules that ban pepper spray and must amend its administrative rules accordingly.

Directly affected

North Carolina Medical Care Commission

The commission is prohibited from enforcing rules that ban pepper spray for EMS personnel and must update its rules.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can emergency medical services personnel carry pepper spray while working?

Yes. Starting July 1, 2025, EMS personnel are allowed to carry pepper spray either openly or concealed while on duty.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

Currently passed both. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.

Procedural history

30 actions

Jun 24, 2025House
Ordered Enrolled
Jun 24, 2025House
Concurred In S Com Sub
Jun 23, 2025House
Placed On Cal For 06/24/2025
Jun 19, 2025House
Cal Pursuant 36(b)
Jun 19, 2025House
Special Message Received For Concurrence in S Com Sub
Jun 19, 2025Senate
Special Message Sent To House

Show 24 earlier actions

Jun 19, 2025Senate
Passed 3rd Reading
Jun 19, 2025Senate
Passed 2nd Reading
Jun 18, 2025Senate
Reptd Fav
Jun 17, 2025Senate
Re-ref Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
Jun 17, 2025Senate
Com Substitute Adopted
Jun 17, 2025Senate
Reptd Fav Com Substitute
Jun 9, 2025Senate
Re-ref to Health Care. If fav, re-ref to Rules and Operations of the Senate
Jun 9, 2025Senate
Withdrawn From Com
May 1, 2025Senate
Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
May 1, 2025Senate
Passed 1st Reading
May 1, 2025Senate
Regular Message Received From House
May 1, 2025House
Regular Message Sent To Senate
Apr 30, 2025House
Passed 3rd Reading
Apr 30, 2025House
Passed 2nd Reading
Apr 29, 2025House
Placed On Cal For 04/30/2025
Apr 29, 2025House
Cal Pursuant Rule 36(b)
Apr 29, 2025House
Reptd Fav
Apr 29, 2025House
Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
Apr 29, 2025House
Reptd Fav Com Substitute
Apr 16, 2025House
Re-ref Com On Judiciary 3
Apr 16, 2025House
Reptd Fav
Apr 14, 2025House
Ref to the Com on Emergency Management and Disaster Recovery, if favorable, Judiciary 3, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
Apr 14, 2025House
Passed 1st Reading
Apr 10, 2025HouseIntroduced
Filed

Version history

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