BILL NUMBER: S1170

SPONSOR: AMEDORE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to opioid overdose
prevention in college housing

 
PURPOSE:

This bill requires public college campuses to maintain life-saving
opioid antagonist medications in college-owned or college-operated hous-
ing, and requires that such medications are accessible to a trained
resident assistant or employee during emergencies that require the
administration of opioid antagonists.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends the education law by adding a new section 6438-a.

6438-a 1. Requires a supply of on-site opioid antagonists in public
              

college-owned or college-operated housing, and requires that such medi-
cations be accessible to a trained resident assistant for administration
of opioid antagonists.

6438a 2. Provides that such public college campuses may designate an
additional employee to administer opioid antagonists in the event that a
resident assistant is not physically present.

6438-a 3. ensures that any trained person pursuant to this section shall
not be liable for any harm resulting from the administration of an
opioid antagonist provided that such person acted in good faith.

Section 2 provides the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The current opioid epidemic is the deadliest drug crisis in American
history. Opioid overdoses have surpassed gun-related murders and car
accidents as the leading cause of death for Americans under 50 years
old, killing an estimated 64,000 people last year. In New York, virtual-
ly no corner of the state has been untouched by the heroin and
prescription opioid crisis. The crisis has no demographic limitations;
it affects individuals of every age, race and gender.

Fatal opioid overdose deaths are preventable. Opioid antagonists, such
as naloxone (brand name Narcan) or any other similarly acting drug
approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, have proven
to be effective in the treatment of an opioid overdose.  Specifically,
naloxone counteracts life-threatening opioid overdoses by reversing the
depression of the central nervous system and respiratory system; thus,
allowing an overdose victim to breathe normally. Naloxone is a nonsched-
uled (non-addictive) medication that has no effect if opioids are
absent. This ensures that administration of naloxone has no potential
for abuse and is safe for administration by a trained individual.

By requiring naloxone to be available in public college and university
dormitories and requiring resident assistants to be trained to adminis-
ter it, this proposal builds on previous legislative actions to make
naloxone more widely available in the community in order to prevent
fatal overdoses of heroin and other opioids

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2018: S.7640 - Referred to Comittee on Higher Education.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.