North Carolina 2025 Session Status: Enacted 7 R cosponsors

HB 975 — EMS Personnel Provisions.

Last action — Signed by Gov. 7/1/2025

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed House
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced April 10, 2025. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Josh Stein (Democratic) on July 01, 2025.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 82% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 7 sponsors

    2 primary, 5 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (7 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

24 added · 16 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent changes to Bill HB 975 remove previous requirements that emergency medical services (EMS) personnel undergo training and obtain approval from their affiliated providers before carrying pepper spray. Instead, the updated version now explicitly prohibits the Commission and the North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services from enacting any rules against EMS personnel carrying pepper spray, allowing them more freedom in using it for self-defense. This matters because it simplifies the process for EMS professionals to protect themselves while on duty, promoting their safety in potentially dangerous situations.

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 H 2 HOUSE BILL 975 Committee Substitute Favorable 4/29/25 Short Title:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 H 1 HOUSE BILL 975 Short Title:
Representatives Scott, N.
Jackson, and Biggs (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
April 14, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO ALLOW EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL, WHILE ON DUTY, TO CARRY PEPPER SPRAY OPENLY OR CONCEALED.
Emergency Management and Disaster Recovery, if favorable, Judiciary 3, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House April 14, 2025 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO ALLOW EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL, WHILE ON DUTY, TO CARRY PEPPER SPRAY OPENLY OR CONCEALED.
131E-158 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
131E-157 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(c) The North Carolina Office of EmergencyMedical 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.
"(d) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the Commission and the North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services are prohibited from adopting or enforcing any rule prohibiting emergency medical services personnel from carrying concealed or openly any pepper spray otherwise allowed under G.S.
The rules adopted may 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 prior to carrying pepper spray and prohibit the discharge of pepper spray in the ambulance compartment during transport of the patient.
G.S.
143-508 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(e) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the North Carolina Medical Care Commission is prohibited from adopting or enforcing any rule prohibiting emergency medical services personnel, as defined in G.S.
131E-155, from carrying concealed or openly any pepper spray otherwise allowed under G.S.
14-401.6(a)(7).
For purposes of this subsection, the term "pepper spray" is as defined in G.S.
131E-157." SECTION 3.
The North Carolina Medical Care Commission and the North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services shall adopt rules or amend their rules consistent with the provisions of this act.
The Commission and Office of Emergency Medical Services may use the procedure set forth in G.S.
150B-21.1 to adopt or amend any rules as required by this section.
SECTION 4.
*H975-v-2*
*H975-v-1*
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Action History

  1. Signed by Gov. 7/1/2025

  2. Ch. SL 2025-42

  3. Pres. To Gov. 6/26/2025

  4. Ratified

  5. Concurred In S Com Sub

  6. Ordered Enrolled

  7. Placed On Cal For 06/24/2025

  8. Passed 2nd Reading

  9. Passed 3rd Reading

  10. Special Message Sent To House

  11. Special Message Received For Concurrence in S Com Sub

  12. Cal Pursuant 36(b)

  13. Reptd Fav

  14. Reptd Fav Com Substitute

  15. Com Substitute Adopted

  16. Re-ref Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

  17. Withdrawn From Com

  18. Re-ref to Health Care. If fav, re-ref to Rules and Operations of the Senate

  19. Regular Message Sent To Senate

  20. Regular Message Received From House

  21. Passed 1st Reading

  22. Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

  23. Passed 2nd Reading

  24. Passed 3rd Reading

  25. Reptd Fav Com Substitute

  26. Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

  27. Reptd Fav

  28. Cal Pursuant Rule 36(b)

  29. Placed On Cal For 04/30/2025

  30. Reptd Fav

  31. Re-ref Com On Judiciary 3

  32. Passed 1st Reading

  33. Ref to the Com on Emergency Management and Disaster Recovery, if favorable, Judiciary 3, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

  34. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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2 sponsors · 5 co-sponsors · 172 not signed on · 10 voted No

Sponsors (2)

Co-sponsors (5)

Not signed on (172)

172 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 172 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

M11 Concur

Passed 112 Yea · 1 Nay · 7 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 32101
Unaffiliated 26001
U 2000
Republican 52005
Total 112107
% of votes cast 93%1%0%6%
How each member voted (120)
Member Party Vote
Autry — Yea
Clemmons — Yea
Gill — Yea
Harris — Yea
Lucas — Yea
Rudow — Yea
CharlesSmith — Yea
Staton-Williams — Yea
vonHaefen — Yea
Wray — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Cleveland — Yea
Crutchfield — Yea
Elmore — Yea
Fontenot — Yea
Hardister — Yea
Lowery — Yea
Mills — Yea
Moore — Yea
Reeder — Yea
Saine — Yea
Sasser — Yea
CarsonSmith — Yea
Sossamon — Yea
Faircloth — Not Voting
F. Jackson — Yea
K. Baker — Yea
Abe Jones Democratic Yea
Allen Buansi Democratic Yea
Allison A. Dahle Democratic Yea
Amber M. Baker Democratic Yea
Amos L. Quick, III Democratic Yea
B. Ray Jeffers Democratic Yea
Becky Carney Democratic Yea
Brandon Lofton Democratic Yea
Carolyn G. Logan Democratic Yea
Cecil Brockman Democratic Not Voting
Cynthia Ball Democratic Yea
Deb Butler Democratic Yea
Eric Ager Democratic Yea
Garland E. Pierce Democratic Yea
Gloristine Brown Democratic Yea
James Roberson Democratic Yea
Joe John Democratic Yea
Kanika Brown Democratic Yea
Laura Budd Democratic Yea
Lindsey Prather Democratic Yea
Marcia Morey Democratic Nay
Maria Cervania Democratic Yea
Mary Belk Democratic Yea
Pricey Harrison Democratic Yea
Renée A. Price Democratic Yea
Robert T. Reives, II Democratic Yea
Sarah Crawford Democratic Yea
Shelly Willingham Democratic Yea
Terence Everitt Democratic Yea
Terry M. Brown Jr. Democratic Yea
Tim Longest Democratic Yea
Vernetta Alston Democratic Yea
Ya Liu Democratic Yea
Zack Hawkins Democratic Yea
A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr. Republican Yea
Allen Chesser Republican Yea
Ben T. Moss, Jr. Republican Yea
Bill Ward Republican Yea
Brenden H. Jones Republican Not Voting
Brian Biggs Republican Yea
Celeste C. Cairns Republican Yea
Charles W. Miller Republican Yea
Chris Humphrey Republican Not Voting
David Willis Republican Not Voting
Dean Arp Republican Yea
Dennis Riddell Republican Yea
Destin Hall Republican Yea
Diane Wheatley Republican Yea
Donna McDowell White Republican Yea
Donnie Loftis Republican Yea
Donny Lambeth Republican Yea
Dudley Greene Republican Yea
Edward C. Goodwin Republican Yea
Erin Paré Republican Yea
Frank Iler Republican Yea
Harry Warren Republican Yea
Howard Penny, Jr. Republican Yea
Hugh Blackwell Republican Yea
Jake Johnson Republican Yea
Jay Adams Republican Not Voting
Jeff Zenger Republican Yea
Jeffrey C. McNeely Republican Yea
Jennifer Balkcom Republican Yea
Jimmy Dixon Republican Yea
John A. Torbett Republican Yea
John R. Bell, IV Republican Yea
John Sauls Republican Yea
Joseph Pike Republican Yea
Julia C. Howard Republican Yea
Karl E. Gillespie Republican Yea
Keith Kidwell Republican Yea
Kelly E. Hastings Republican Yea
Kyle Hall Republican Yea
Larry C. Strickland Republican Yea
Larry W. Potts Republican Yea
Mark Brody Republican Yea
Mark Pless Republican Yea
Matthew Winslow Republican Yea
Mike Clampitt Republican Yea
Mitchell S. Setzer Republican Yea
Neal Jackson Republican Yea
Phil Shepard Republican Yea
Ray Pickett Republican Yea
Sam Watford Republican Yea
Sarah Stevens Republican Yea
Stephen M. Ross Republican Yea
Steve Tyson Republican Yea
Ted Davis, Jr. Republican Yea
Tricia Ann Cotham Republican Yea
W. Ted Alexander Republican Not Voting
William D. Brisson Republican Yea
Carla D. Cunningham U Yea
Nasif Majeed U Yea

Official roll call →

Second Reading

Passed 33 Yea · 12 Nay · 5 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 4903
Unaffiliated 5300
Republican 24002
Total 331205
% of votes cast 66%24%0%10%
How each member voted (50)
Member Party Vote
Marcus — Yea
Krawiec — Yea
Perry — Yea
Proctor — Yea
Bode — Nay
Hunt — Nay
Woodard — Nay
P. Newton — Yea
Dan Blue Democratic Not Voting
DeAndrea Salvador Democratic Nay
Gale Adcock Democratic Yea
Gladys A. Robinson Democratic Not Voting
Graig Meyer Democratic Nay
Jay J. Chaudhuri Democratic Nay
Joyce Waddell Democratic Yea
Julie Mayfield Democratic Nay
Kandie D. Smith Democratic Nay
Lisa Grafstein Democratic Nay
Michael Garrett Democratic Yea
Mujtaba A. Mohammed Democratic Nay
Natalie S. Murdock Democratic Not Voting
Paul A. Lowe, Jr. Democratic Yea
Sydney Batch Democratic Nay
Val Applewhite Democratic Nay
Amy S. Galey Republican Yea
Benton G. Sawrey Republican Yea
Bill Rabon Republican Yea
Bobby Hanig Republican Yea
Brad Overcash Republican Yea
Brent Jackson Republican Yea
Carl Ford Republican Yea
Danny Earl Britt, Jr. Republican Yea
David W. Craven, Jr. Republican Yea
Eddie D. Settle Republican Yea
Jake Johnson Republican Yea
Jim Burgin Republican Not Voting
Kevin Corbin Republican Not Voting
Lisa S. Barnes Republican Yea
Michael A. Lazzara Republican Yea
Michael V. Lee Republican Yea
Norman W. Sanderson Republican Yea
Paul Newton Republican Yea
Phil Berger Republican Yea
Ralph Hise Republican Yea
Steve Jarvis Republican Yea
Timothy D. Moffitt Republican Yea
Tom McInnis Republican Yea
Vickie Sawyer Republican Yea
W. Ted Alexander Republican Yea
Warren Daniel Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety healthcare labor
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 975?
HB 975 is sponsored by Donna McDowell White (Republican), Bill Ward (Republican), Jimmy Dixon (Republican), Jennifer Balkcom (Republican), Brian Biggs (Republican), Neal Jackson (Republican), and Paul Scott (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 975?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced April 10, 2025. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 975?
Track HB 975 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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