Parliament's Health Select Committee took oral submissions on the Good Samaritan bill during the week of 24–25 June 2026, according to RNZ. The bill makes targeted amendments to two pieces of legislation: the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 and the Bail Act 2000.

The mechanism at the heart of Good Samaritan laws is straightforward. By offering limited legal protection — called immunity — for people who call emergency services when someone overdoses, the bill tries to remove a legal barrier that can prevent or delay help arriving. The Misuse of Drugs Act amendment protects the caller from criminal charges; the Bail Act amendment addresses a specific group: people already on bail conditions who face an even sharper conflict between calling for help and breaching their bail terms.

Aotearoa has moved slower than comparable countries on this issue. Several Australian states and many US states have had equivalent protections for years. Domestic evidence from needle exchanges, harm reduction organisations, and emergency doctors has built a consistent picture: fear of the law is a real obstacle to bystanders calling for help during overdoses.

The select committee stage is where legislative detail gets examined closely. Submitters typically include medical bodies, public health researchers, iwi health providers, legal specialists, drug checking services, and people with direct experience of drug use — the voices best placed to spot where a narrowly written immunity might still leave gaps. The committee will report its findings to Parliament with any suggested changes before the bill moves to its final reading.

It is worth being clear about what this bill does not do. It is not a broad legalisation of drugs; it leaves the core offences and penalties in the Misuse of Drugs Act unchanged. The protection applies only to overdose emergencies and only to the act of calling for help — not to possession or supply in other situations. That tight focus will likely draw comment from both sides: from those who say it does not go far enough to shift behaviour, and from those seeking reassurance it won't be stretched by courts.

The committee's work on this bill deserves close attention. The specific wording of the Bail Act amendment, in particular, will determine whether it actually protects the people most at risk — those already caught up in the criminal justice system, who have the strongest reason not to call.