The Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee has moved forward with two legislative measures aimed at addressing the opioid crisis. Senator Doug Mastriano, who chairs the committee, emphasized the importance of these initiatives.
Senate Bill 89, introduced by Mastriano, proposes to track known or suspected drug overdoses treated by emergency medical services (EMS) providers in a statewide mapping system. This builds on previous legislation, Act 158 of 2022, which established such a system.
“When EMS personnel encounter an overdose, that information doesn’t automatically go into the statewide tracking system,” Mastriano stated. He highlighted the need to improve data collection for health care professionals and law enforcement. “The ability to save lives is only as strong as the information in the system. My bill would strengthen the overdose tracking system and enable frontline personnel to save more lives.”
Additionally, Senate Bill 95, sponsored by Senator Kristin Phillips-Hill, was unanimously reported by the committee. The bill seeks to allow first responders to leave a dose of naloxone or other approved lifesaving treatment drugs with caregivers of individuals who have overdosed. This proposal aims to codify an executive order initially issued in 2018.
“This measure would permanently permit EMS providers to leave a dose package of life-saving naloxone with the on-scene caregiver of a patient who overdosed on opioids and was revived by the EMS,” Mastriano explained. He expressed support for this measure alongside Senate Bill 89.
Both bills will now proceed to the full Senate for further deliberation.
For more information about Senator Mastriano’s work, constituents can visit his website at SenatorMastriano.com or follow him on Facebook at Facebook.com/SenatorDougMastriano.
