House Bill 532: Alcohol in Emergency Vehicles

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2013 SESSION LAW 2013-105 HOUSE BILL 532 

*H532-v-4*

AN ACT TO MAKE IT A CRIME TO OPERATE AN AMBULANCE, EMS VEHICLE, FIREFIGHTING VEHICLE, OR LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLE UPON ANY HIGHWAY, STREET, OR PUBLIC VEHICULAR AREA WITHIN THE STATE WHILE CONSUMING ALCOHOL OR WHILE ALCOHOL REMAINS IN THE PERSON’S BODY.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1. G.S. 20-138.2B(a) reads as rewritten:

“§ 20-138.2B. Operating a school bus, school activity bus, or child care vehicle vehicle, ambulance, other EMS vehicle, firefighting vehicle, or law enforcement vehicle after consuming alcohol. 

(a) Offense. – A person commits the offense of operating a school bus, school activity bus, or child care vehicle vehicle, ambulance, other emergency medical services vehicle, firefighting vehicle, or law enforcement vehicle after consuming alcohol if the person drives a school bus, school activity bus, or child care vehicle vehicle, ambulance, other emergency medical services vehicle, firefighting vehicle, or law enforcement vehicle upon any highway, any street, or any public vehicular area within the State while consuming alcohol or while alcohol remains in the person’s body. This section does not apply to law enforcement officers acting in the course of, and within the scope of, their official duties.”

SECTION 2. This act becomes effective December 1, 2013, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 5th day of June, 2013.

s/ Daniel J. Forest, President of the Senate

s/ Thom Tillis, Speaker of the House of Representatives

s/ Pat McCrory, Governor

Approved 4:30 p.m. this 12th day of June, 2013