Under current law, physicians, physician assistants, and advanced practice nurses with prescriptive authority (collectively referred to as licensed prescribers), as well as pharmacists (licensed dispensers), are not subject to civil or criminal liability or professional discipline when they prescribe or dispense an opiate antagonist in a good-faith effort to assist an individual experiencing an opiate-related drug overdose event or to assist a friend, family member, or other person who is able to provide assistance to an individual who may experience an opiate-related drug overdose event.
The bill allows licensed prescribers to prescribe, and licensed dispensers to dispense, an opiate antagonist, either pursuant to a direct prescription order or in accordance with standing orders and protocols, to: • An individual at risk of experiencing an opiate-related drug overdose event; • A family member, friend, or other person in a position to assist an at-risk individual; • An employee or volunteer of a harm reduction organization; or • A first responder.
Licensed prescribers and dispensers acting in good faith in prescribing or dispensing opiate antagonists as permitted under the bill are immune from professional discipline and civil and criminal liability.
Additionally, first responders and harm reduction employees and volunteers are not subject to criminal or civil liability when acting in good faith to furnish or administer an opiate antagonist to an at-risk individual or a family member, friend, or other person in a position to assist an at-risk individual.
Year
2015
Current status
- 04/06/2015 - Governor Signed
- 03/25/2015 - Sent to the Governor
- 03/09/2015 - House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
- 03/06/2015 - House Second Reading Passed - No Amendments
- 01/27/2015 - Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
