Bill > S2803

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 designated members of the higher education community. Institutions of higher education are to 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 campus in order to respond to an opioid overdose emergency. Institutions also would be required to develop a policy concerning the emergency administration of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for opioid overdose emergencies occurring on campus. The policy is 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 on campus; (2) permit a licensed campus medical professional to designate members of the higher education community including, but not limited to, resident assistants, emergency responders, campus security officers, and licensed athletic trainers to administer naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray to any person whom the member in good faith believes is experiencing an opioid overdose on campus; and (3) require the institution to offer an overdose victim transportation 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 member of the higher education community designated to administer naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray by a licensed campus medical professional is only to be authorized to administer the spray after receiving the required training. The bill also directs the Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Human Services 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 are required to implement the guidelines in developing a policy pursuant to the bill. Specifically, the guidelines are to include a requirement that a licensed campus medical professional and members of the higher education community 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 on campus. The training is also to include overdose prevention information described in the State's "Overdose Prevention Act." The guidelines are to further specify an appropriate entity or entities to provide the training. The bill provides immunity from liability for institutions of higher education, licensed campus medical professionals, designated members of the higher education community, 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 does not include willful misconduct, gross negligence, or recklessness. The bill also provides that in the event that a licensed athletic trainer, who is designated pursuant to the bill to administer naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray, administers the spray, it is not to constitute a violation of the "Athletic Training Licensure Act."

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Shirley Turner (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Higher Education Committee (on 02/22/2024)

Official Document