GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2025

H                                                                                                                                                    1

HOUSE BILL 61

 

 

Short Title:      Assaults on First Responders.

(Public)

Sponsors:

Representatives Pyrtle, Carson Smith, Greene, and Miller (Primary Sponsors).

For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.

Referred to:

Judiciary 2, if favorable, Emergency Management and Disaster Recovery, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

February 6, 2025

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to increase the punishment for committing an assault with a firearm against certain emergency, medical, and law enforcement personnel.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 14‑34.5 reads as rewritten:

"§ 14‑34.5.  Assault with a firearm on a law enforcement, probation, or parole officer, or on a member of the North Carolina National Guard, or on a person employed at a State or local detention facility.

(a)        Any person who commits an assault with a firearm upon a law enforcement officer, probation officer, or parole officer while the officer is in the performance of his or her duties is guilty of a Class D felony.

(a1)      Any person who commits an assault with a firearm upon a member of the North Carolina National Guard while the member is in the performance of his or her duties is guilty of a Class D felony.

(b)        Anyone who commits an assault with a firearm upon a person who is employed at a detention facility operated under the jurisdiction of the State or a local government while the employee is in the performance of the employee's duties is guilty of a Class D felony.any of the following persons who are in the performance of their duties is guilty of a Class B1 felony:

(1)        A law enforcement officer.

(2)        A probation officer.

(3)        A parole officer.

(4)        A member of the North Carolina National Guard.

(5)        An employee of a detention facility operated under the jurisdiction of the State or a local government.

(6)        An emergency medical technician or other emergency health care provider.

(7)        A medical responder.

(8)        A firefighter.

(9)        A telecommunicator employed by a law enforcement agency."

SECTION 2.  G.S. 14‑34.6(c) reads as rewritten:

"(c)      Unless a person's conduct is covered under some other provision of law providing greater punishment, a person is guilty of a Class D felony if the person violates subsection (a) of this section against a person not otherwise covered under G.S. 14‑34.5 and uses a firearm."

SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective December 1, 2025, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.