If you read the news section of today’s issue of the Technician, you saw that we featured a few of North Carolina’s newest laws that will affect college students. In addition to those laws, there are a few others we would like to bring to your attention. Some are necessary. Some seem like they should have already existed and others are just interesting.

Interesting new laws:

• House Bill 850 says that prior to searching a person or a person’s property, an officer may ask if he or she is in possession of a hypodermic needle or other sharp object that may puncture the officer while conducting the search. If the officer finds a hypodermic needle while conducting a search and the person alerted the officer of that prior to the search, he or she “shall not be charged with or prosecuted for possession of drug paraphernalia for the needle or sharp object.” However, this does not apply to any other drug paraphernalia that may be found during the search.  
• Senate Bill 140 is meant to increase the prosecution of those who specifically defraud or financially exploit older adults or disabled people. 
• House Bill 936 establishes a wildlife poacher reward fund, which will monetarily reward people who give information to law enforcement that leads to the arrest and conviction of people who have committed serious wildlife crimes. 

New laws you thought already existed:

• House Bill 532, which became effective Dec. 1, made it a crime to operate an ambulance, firefighting vehicle, EMS vehicle or law enforcement vehicle while consuming alcohol or while alcohol remains in the person’s body. 
• Senate Bill 368 makes it a felony to escape from county or municipal prisons
• The passing of Senate Bill 124 makes it illegal to discharge a firearm in a building with the intention of inciting fear. 
• House Bill 345 makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor to misuse the 911 system.
• Senate Bill 530 prohibits the distribution of tobacco-derived products and vapor products to minors. 
• House Bill 29 makes it illegal for people who have been convicted for the possession or manufacture of methamphetamine to possess a pseudoephedrine product. 
• Senate Bill 470 prohibits the consumption of malt beverages or unfortified wine on the premises of a business whose permit authorizing the sale of those beverages has been suspended or revoked by the Commission.