Bill > A08540

This bill requires the New York State Education Department, in consultation with the Department of Health, to develop and implement a comprehensive fentanyl education program for public, charter, and private schools, targeting students in grades six through twelve. The program aims to address the growing public health crisis of fentanyl abuse by providing detailed instruction on the nature of fentanyl, its risks, and lethal potential, including topics such as the dangers of unprescribed pills, recognition of overdose symptoms, and strategies to resist peer pressure. Schools will be required to conduct annual assemblies or class-based instructions that include real-life testimonies, naloxone training, and presentations from bereaved parents who have lost children to fentanyl poisoning. Additionally, the bill mandates that high schools keep naloxone (an opioid overdose reversal medication) on school grounds and provide training for staff on its use. Schools are also encouraged to establish student-led awareness clubs and will be required to collect and report data on student engagement and understanding of the program. The legislature plans to appropriate funding to support the implementation of this act, with the goal of saving lives and preventing further tragedy due to fentanyl abuse among youth.

Education

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A8540