The Good Samaritan Law has cleared the General Assembly. All it needs is Gov. Pat McCrory’s signature to become law.
The state Senate Wednesday went along with changes that the House made to the bill, which would provide limited immunity from prosecution for people who call 911 or otherwise summon medical help for a person who has overdosed on drugs.
The bill provides immunity from prosecution for misdemeanor drug charges or small amounts of cocaine and heroin. Supporters of the bill stress that it doesn’t provide immunity for drug dealers.
It also provides criminal and civil liability immunity for medical practitioners prescribing an antidote for opiate-related overdoses, and for people administering that drug, which is usually given nasally.
“There was little or no change to the bill,” said the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Stan Bingham, R-Davidson, in urging his Senate colleagues to give the bill its final passage.
The primary change in the House was the addition of a limited immunity provision for underage drinking, if the person was calling for help for alcohol poisoning.
“This is a great day for injury prevention in North Carolina,” said Robert Childs, executive director of the NC Harm Reduction Coalition, which supported the bill. “With overdose fatalities becoming an increasing problem in our state, (the bill) is a great step toward curbing preventable deaths and saving the lives of our loved ones.”
Barry Smith (@Barry_Smith) is an associate editor of Carolina Journal.