State Senators: Broaden North Carolina’s Good Samaritan Law
State Senators want to broaden North Carolina’s Good Samaritan Law in hopes it will help with the state’s growing drug overdose problem.
North Carolina’s Good Samaritan law protects drug overdose victims and drug overdose witnesses who seek help from first responders. Under the law, “Good Samaritans” who are assisting an overdose victim cannot be charged with drug possession, underage drinking, and certain other violations that make witnesses avoid calling for help. The law is meant to promote the idea that it is better to help someone in need than to hesitate due to fear of legal repercussions.
Proposed changes to North Carolina’s Good Samaritan law would expand legal protections to everyone at the scene of an overdose, not just the victim and the person who calls for help. Sponsors would also like to see the bill include immunity against charges of possessing fentanyl, immunity for students at education facilities, and immunity from certain drug distribution charges.
Efforts to broaden the law are sponsored by a bipartisan trio of senators, including Republicans Bobby Hanig (District 3) and Tim Moffitt (District 117), and Democrat Gale Adcock (District 41). Hanig thinks protection for those who call for help will save lives. Read North Carolina Senate Bill 458 here.
“North Carolina’s Good Samaritan Law was passed in 2013. It was done with good intention, but we’ve learned since that there’s some limiting effects to it,” Hanig said during a news conference in Raleigh Wednesday.
Good Samaritan laws exist in varying forms in all 50 states. Some jurisdictions include protections for Good Samaritans in other situations such as medical emergencies and auto accidents. It is important to note that Good Samaritan laws do not grant blanket immunity from all forms of legal action, especially in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
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