Push-pull driver level shifting driving laser diode module
When driving a laser never turn it off to 0 mA because the recovery time for it to start emitting light is too long.

When driving a laser respect the upper limit of current it can take just as you would when using an LED


Your first circuit with the NPN transistor would work if you had a resistor in series with the NPN emitter to ground. This would prevent overcurrent of the laser (and laser failure). Then you need to ensure that you do not fully turn off the NPN when logic level 0 is present. You would need to bias the drive level to the NPN's base to ensure this happens properly.
I can't tell you where to bias this but I would estimate that laser currents of 5 mA for logic 0 and 25 mA for logic 1 would be a good starting point.