Part I.
Titles the act as the “Protecting First Responders Act” or the “PROFR Act.”

Part II.

Amends GS 14-34.6 by increasing from a Class I to H felony the punishment for assault or affray causing physical injury on specified emergency responders and health care providers.

Enacts new GS 14-286.3 making it a Class H felony to unlawfully and intentionally possess fentanyl or other harmful drug or chemical agent and expose an emergency responder (as defined). Increases the felony to Class G when the emergency responder suffers serious bodily injury due to the exposure. Makes it a Class H felony if a person knows fentanyl or other harmful drugs or chemical agents are unlawfully present at a location an emergency responder is responding to and willfully fails to notify the emergency responder of its presence within a reasonable time prior to the emergency responder arriving at the location.

Applies to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2024.

Part III.

Appropriates $10,350,000 for 2025-26 from the General Fund to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to be distributed as grants to State and local government agencies employing paramedics and emergency medical technicians registered under the National Registry of Medical Technicians, to be used in specified amounts for the purchase of bulletproof vests and bulletproof backpack plates. Specifies that State and local government agencies with volunteer or contract paramedics or emergency medical technicians registered under NREMT may also apply for grants. Specifies that the funds do not revert until July 1, 2027. Effective July 1, 2024.

Part IV.

Makes the following changes to GS 95-25.3, effective July 1, 2024. Requires paramedics to be paid the higher of at least $30 per hour or the minimum wage set in paragraph 1 of section 6(a) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Requires emergency medical technicians to be paid the higher of at least $26 per hour or the minimum wage in paragraph 1 of section 6(a) of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Effective July 1, 2024, enacts new GS 95-28.5, requiring employers of one or more paramedics or emergency medical technicians, or both, to provide mental health counseling services to those employees at the employer's expense and establish a social support system for those employees. Requires counseling services to be accessible 24 hours per day, seven days per week.