AN ACT ENACTING THE PROTECT THOSE WHO SERVE AND PROTECT ACT. SL 2023-76. Enacted July 7, 2023. Effective December 1, 2023.
Bill Summaries: H 34 PROTECT THOSE WHO SERVE AND PROTECT ACT.
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Bill H 34 (2023-2024)Summary date: Jul 10 2023 - View Summary
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Bill H 34 (2023-2024)Summary date: Jun 22 2023 - View Summary
Senate amendment to the 3rd edition makes the following changes. Amends GS 14-34.8 (defining criminal uses of laser devices) to clarify that intentionally pointing a laser device while the device is emitting a laser beam at a law enforcement agency animal or search and rescue animal while the animal is in the performance of its duty is only a Class A1 misdemeanor when the animal is caused harm as defined under GS 14-163.1 (i.e., injury, illness, or other physiological impairment; or any behavioral impairment that impedes or interferes with duties performed by a law enforcement agency animal or an assistance animal.)
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Bill H 34 (2023-2024)Summary date: Jun 14 2023 - View Summary
Senate committee substitute to the 2nd edition adds the following content.
Amends GS 14-34.2, making it a Class E felony (currently, a Class F felony) to commit an assault with a deadly weapon (currently, assault with a firearm or other deadly weapon) upon a governmental officer or employee, a company police officer, or a campus police officer in the performance of an official duty.
Amends GS 14-34.5(a1) to make the felony described in that statute (concerning assault with a firearm on members of the NC National Guard) into a Class D felony (currently, Class E felony).
Amends GS 14-34.7 to make the felonies listed in subsections (a), (a1), and (b), concerning assaults inflicting serious bodily injury on listed law enforcement, probation, and parole officers, National Guard members, and detention facility employees, into Class E felonies (currently, Class F felonies). Makes the felony in subsection (c), concerning assaults inflicting physical injury on those same categories of individuals into a Class H felony (currently, Class I felony).
Amends GS 14-32 making it a Class D felony for any person to assault an emergency worker with a deadly weapon and either inflict serious injury or have intent to kill. Defines emergency worker as a law enforcement officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician, or medical responder.
Makes organizational changes to account for new sections. Makes conforming changes to act’s long title.
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Bill H 34 (2023-2024)Summary date: Feb 15 2023 - View Summary
House committee substitute amends the 1st edition as follows.
Revises the definition of emergency vehicle in new GS 14-34.1A to include State or local emergency management vehicles and vehicles owned or operated by the Department of Adult Correction and the Division of Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety.
Makes a technical change to the proposed changes to GS 14-34.8(b).
Makes conforming changes to the long title.
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Bill H 34 (2023-2024)Summary date: Jan 30 2023 - View Summary
Enacts GS 14-34.1A, making it a Class H felony to willfully or wantonly discharge or attempt to discharge any firearm or barreled weapon capable of discharging shot, bullets, pellets, or other missiles at a muzzle velocity of at least 600 feet per second at or into any unoccupied emergency vehicle. Defines emergency vehicle to include a vehicle of law enforcement and fire departments, ambulances, rescue squads, the National Guard, the US Armed Forces, or the Division of Adult Corrections and Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety.
Amends GS 14-34.8, making it a Class I felony to intentionally point a laser at any of the specified categories of persons while that person is in the performance of his or her duties. Persons specified include law enforcement officers; probation officers; parole officers; certain detention facility, youth development center, or correctional institution employees; firefighters; emergency medical technicians/providers; National Guard members; US Armed Forces members; and certain court counselors (previously, intentionally pointing a laser at a law enforcement officer was an infraction; other specified persons were not included in the statute, and the precondition that the persons be in the performance of his or her duty was not included). Additionally, makes it a Class A1 misdemeanor to intentionally point a laser at a law enforcement agency animal or a search and rescue animal while the animal is in the performance of its duty. Makes conforming changes.
Applies to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2023.