Bill > A4244

Introduced Session

This bill requires institutions of higher education to maintain a supply of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for opioid overdose emergencies and permits emergency administration of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray by licensed campus medical professionals and resident assistants. Institutions of higher education would obtain a supply of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray pursuant to a standing order issued by a health care practitioner to be maintained in secure and easily accessible locations throughout the residence halls of the institution to respond to an opioid overdose emergency. Institutions would also be required to develop a policy concerning the emergency administration of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for opioid overdose emergencies occurring in residence halls. The policy would be required to: (1) designate a licensed campus medical professional to oversee the institution's program for the maintenance and emergency administration of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray in residence halls; (2) permit a licensed campus medical professional to designate residence assistants to administer naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray to any person whom the resident assistant in good faith believes is experiencing an opioid overdose in a residence hall; and (3) require the transportation of an overdose victim to a hospital emergency room by emergency services personnel after the administration of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray, even if the person's symptoms appear to have resolved. A resident assistant designated to administer naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray by a licensed campus medical professional would only be authorized to administer the spray after receiving required training. The bill also directs the Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health and appropriate medical experts, to establish guidelines for the development of a policy by an institution of higher education for the emergency administration of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray. Institutions of higher education would be required to implement the guidelines in developing a policy pursuant to the bill. Specifically, the guidelines would include a requirement that a licensed campus medical professional and resident assistants designated by the licensed campus medical professional receive training on standard protocols for the emergency administration of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray to a person experiencing an opioid overdose in a residence hall. The training would also include overdose prevention information described in the State's "Overdose Prevention Act." The guidelines would further specify an appropriate entity or entities to provide the training. The bill provides immunity from liability for licensed campus medical professionals, resident assistants, pharmacists, or authorized health care practitioners who issue a standing order for naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray to an institution of higher education for any good faith act or omission consistent with the provisions of the bill. For purposes of this bill, good faith would not include willful misconduct, gross negligence, or recklessness.

Committee Categories

Aura Dunn (R)*,  Don Guardian (R)*,  Christian Barranco (R),  Michele Matsikoudis (R), 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Higher Education Committee (on 06/13/2022)

Official Document