North Carolina 2025 Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 20 R · 6 D · 1 I cosponsors

HB 1186 — Equipping Law Enforcement for Better Drug Detection.

Last action — Passed 1st Reading

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

This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced April 30, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the House.

Odds of enactment

Low chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a low chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Advancing 42% · moderate confidence

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 27 sponsors

    3 primary, 24 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 3 parties (20 R · 6 D · 1 I) — cross-party backing.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

133 added · 131 removed

Plain-language change summary

The updated version of HB 1186 includes additions that emphasize the purpose of a new pilot program for law enforcement agencies. The program will focus on using advanced drug-detection technology, which aims to improve officer safety, enhance the accuracy of substance testing, and identify new or novel drugs. This change is significant because it shifts the approach from older, color-based tests to more reliable technology, potentially leading to better law enforcement outcomes and more effective drug investigations.

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA H.B.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 H 1 HOUSE BILL 1186 Short Title:
1186 Apr 30, 2026 SESSION 2025 HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK H D HOUSE BILL DRH40703-MLa-165 Short Title:
Representative Chesser.
Representatives Chesser, Pyrtle, Rhyne, and Rubin (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT DIRECTING THE NORTH CAROLINA COLLABORATORY TO ESTABLISH AND IMPLEMENT A PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE PARTICIPATING LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WITH NEW DRUG-DETECTING TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE INVESTIGATIONS AND REDUCE THE RISK OF FALSE ARRESTS.
Judiciary 2, if favorable, Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House May 5, 2026 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT DIRECTING THE NORTH CAROLINA COLLABORATORY TO ESTABLISH AND IMPLEMENT A PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE PARTICIPATING LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WITH NEW DRUG-DETECTING TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE INVESTIGATIONS AND REDUCE THE RISK OF FALSE ARRESTS.
and Whereas, new research from the Quattrone Center at University of Pennsylvania Law School indicates that traditional "colorimetric" field drug test packets, which are commonly used in North Carolina, are prone to false positives that can lead to the wrongful arrest of innocent individuals and misdirection of valuable police resources;
and Whereas, new research from the Quattrone Center at Universityof Pennsylvania Law School indicates that traditional "colorimetric" field drug test packets, which are commonly used in North Carolina, are prone to false positives that can lead to the wrongful arrest of innocent individuals and misdirection of valuable police resources;
– The North Carolina Collaboratory (Collaboratory) shall establish and implement a pilot program to support law enforcement, improve controlled substance investigations, and reduce the risk of false arrests by providing participating law enforcement agencies with new field drug-detecting technology and measuring the impact of that technology on all of the following:
– The North Carolina Collaboratory (Collaboratory) shall establish and implement a pilot program to support law enforcement, improve controlled substance investigations, and reduce the risk of false arrests by providing participating law enforcement agencies with new field drug-detectingtechnologyand measuringthe impact of that technology on all of the following:
(1) Case clearance.
*H1186-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (1) Case clearance.
*DRH40703-MLa-165* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (3) Controlled substance testing accuracy.
(3) Controlled substance testing accuracy.
Does not use, depend on, or interpret any visible color change or visually observed chemical reaction as the primary basis for controlled substanceidentification, suchas reagent pouches, spot tests, test strips, crystal or precipitate formation, and technology-assisted interpretation of a color reaction.
Does not use, depend on, or interpret any visible color change or visuallyobserved chemical reaction as the primarybasis for controlled substanceidentification, suchas reagent pouches, spot tests, test strips, crystal or precipitate formation, and technology-assisted interpretation of a color reaction.
Shall generate and electronically retain a digital analytical signature of the sample sufficient for independent audit and program evaluation.
Shall generate and electronicallyretain a digital analytical signature of the sample sufficient for independent audit and program evaluation.
(4) Measure (i) drug enforcement and case processing outcomes, including arrest and charging activity, case resolution time lines, and case dispositions and (ii) forensic laboratory system impacts, including effects on submission volume, processing time lines, and confirmation outcomes.
(4) Measure (i) drug enforcement and case processing outcomes, including arrest and charging activity, case resolution time lines, and case dispositions and (ii) Page 2 House Bill 1186-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 forensic laboratory system impacts, including effects on submission volume, processing time lines, and confirmation outcomes.
Page 2 DRH40703-MLa-165 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 (5) Employ appropriate quantitative methods to compare outcomes in pilot program jurisdictions to comparable non-pilot program jurisdictions before and after deployment of the drug-detection devices, using research designs adequate to support causal inference to the extent feasible given available data.
(5) Employ appropriate quantitative methods to compare outcomes in pilot program jurisdictions to comparable non-pilot program jurisdictions before and after deployment of the drug-detection devices, using research designs adequate to support causal inference to the extent feasible given available data.
Additionally, the Collaboratory may collaborate with any person or entity that the Collaboratory deems appropriate to assist in establishing and implementing the pilot program required by this act.
Additionally, the Collaboratory may collaborate with any person or entity that the Collaboratorydeems appropriate to assist in establishing and implementing the pilot program required by this act.
– State agencies that maintain data determined by theCollaboratoryto be relevant to thepilot program required bythis act, including the Administrative Office of the Courts and the North Carolina State Crime Laboratory, shall make available to the Collaboratory such data as the Collaboratory deems may be reasonably necessary to conduct the pilot program, to the extent permitted by applicable State and federal law and subject to appropriate privacy protections and data use agreements.
– State agencies that maintain data determined bytheCollaboratoryto berelevant to thepilot program required bythis act, including the Administrative Office of the Courts and the North Carolina State Crime Laboratory, shall make available to the Collaboratory such data as the Collaboratory deems may be reasonably necessary to conduct the pilot program, to the extent permitted by applicable State and federal law and subject to appropriate privacy protections and data use agreements.
The Collaboratory shall ensure that the law enforcement agencies it selects are representative of law enforcement throughout the State, including agencies from rural and urban areas of the State and agencies that would allow for analysis of data from the I-85 and I-95 drug-trafficking corridors.
The Collaboratoryshall ensure that the law enforcement agencies it selects are representative of law enforcement throughout the State, including agencies from rural and urban areas of the State and agencies that would allow for analysis of data from the I-85 and I-95 drug-trafficking corridors.
SECTION 7.
House Bill 1186-First Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 SECTION 7.
– There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Collaboratory the sum of one million seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,750,000) in DRH40703-MLa-165 Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 nonrecurring funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to be used for costs related to the development and implementation of the pilot program required by this act, including purchasing equipment and adding any additional staffing.
– There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Collaboratory the sum of one million seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,750,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to be used for costs related to the development and implementation of the pilot program required by this act, including purchasing equipment and adding any additional staffing.
SECTION 9.
SECTION9.
Page 4 DRH40703-MLa-165
Page 4 House Bill 1186-First Edition
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Action History

  1. Passed 1st Reading

  2. Ref to the Com on Judiciary 2, if favorable, Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

  3. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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3 sponsors · 24 co-sponsors · 152 not signed on

Sponsors (3)

Co-sponsors (24)

Not signed on (152)

152 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 152 →

"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

Subjects

public-safety labor
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 1186?
HB 1186 is sponsored by Donna McDowell White (Republican), Bill Ward (Republican), Larry C. Strickland (Republican), Stephen M. Ross (Republican), James Roberson (Democratic), Lindsey Prather (Democratic), Joseph Pike (Republican), Ray Pickett (Republican), Howard Penny, Jr. (Republican), Ben T. Moss, Jr. (Republican), Charles W. Miller (Republican), Jeffrey C. McNeely (Republican), Carolyn G. Logan (Democratic), Keith Kidwell (Republican), Frank Iler (Republican), Chris Humphrey (Republican), Carla D. Cunningham (U), Tricia Ann Cotham (Republican), Mike Colvin (Democratic), Todd Carver (Republican), Celeste C. Cairns (Republican), Gloristine Brown (Democratic), Jerry "Alan" Branson (Republican), Phil Rubin (Democratic), Heather H. Rhyne (Republican), A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr. (Republican), and Allen Chesser (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 1186?
This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced April 30, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track HB 1186?
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