POLICE POSS. OF OPIOID ANTAGONISTS                                                S.B. 1049 (S-1):

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                      REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

Senate Bill 1049 (Substitute S-1 as reported)

Sponsor:  Senator Tonya Schuitmaker

Committee:  Judiciary

CONTENT

The bill would create a new act to do the following:

-- Allow a law enforcement agency to purchase and distribute to its officers an opioid antagonist.

-- Allow a peace officer who was trained in the proper administration of an opioid antagonist to possess and administer it to a person experiencing an opioid-related overdose.

-- Grant civil and criminal immunity to a law enforcement agency or peace officer who possessed and used an opioid antagonist as allowed under the bill.

The bill would define "opioid-related overdose" as a condition that results from the consumption or use of an opioid or another substance with which an opioid was combined or that a reasonable person would believe to be an opioid-related overdose that requires medical assistance. The conditions resulting from consumption or use of an opioid or other substance would include, but would not be limited to, extreme physical illness, decreased level of consciousness, respiratory depression, coma, or death.

"Opioid antagonist" would mean naloxone hydrochloride or any other similarly acting and equally safe drug approved for the Federal Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of drug overdose.

                                                                            Legislative Analyst:  Patrick Affholter

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill could result in supply and training costs to those law enforcement agencies that opted to purchase and use opioid antagonists as allowed under the bill.

The bill's immunity provision could potentially reduce the number of prosecutions and convictions for possession or administration of controlled substances by peace officers, thus potentially reducing court and corrections costs and costs of litigation for a law enforcement entity that chose to purchase and possess opioid antagonists and train officers in the administration of opioid antagonists.

Date Completed:  10-1-14                                                     Fiscal Analyst:  Bruce Baker

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.