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Committee hears bill to make naloxone available in school defibrillator cabinets and on buses; youth advocates testify
Summary
Senate Bill 164 would allow schools to acquire and store opioid antagonists (naloxone) in defibrillator cabinets and on school buses, remove training as a legal prerequisite to administration and require regular youth input to the State Board of Health. Committee heard broad testimony but did not record a committee vote during the session.
The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 164, a proposal to increase naloxone availability in schools by authorizing school districts to keep opioid antagonists in defibrillator cabinets and on school buses and to allow school staff to provide naloxone to a student or staff member without the existing statutory training requirement.
Sponsors Representative Rob Jackson and Representative Wilford framed the bill as targeted harm reduction and youth‑driven policymaking. Jackson said the measure responds to rising youth opioid overdoses and asked the committee to support removing administrative barriers to life‑saving medication.
Youth speaker McKenna James, chair of the Naloxone Distribution Committee on Colorado Youth Advisory Council, told the committee she has lost close friends to overdose and emphasized the particular vulnerability of rural communities where an ambulance may not arrive in time. “This bill removes that barrier, ensuring any school employee or student who is in a position to help can do so without hesitation,” James said.
Other testimony came from county human‑services directors, sheriffs and victim‑services organizations, which discussed logistics for transport and placement of youth, provider shortages and the importance of pairing naloxone access with prevention and treatment resources. Sponsors noted HB 1293 and prior session bills that already authorize district discretion to maintain supplies; they said SB 164 would prioritize schools in CDPHE distribution plans and create youth engagement at the State Board of Health.
No committee vote recorded in the transcript provided. Sponsors said they will continue to work with CDPHE and school districts on funding, distribution logistics and alignment with existing statutory provisions.
Quote: “When an overdose occurs, there is no guarantee that an ambulance will arrive in time,” McKenna James told the committee. “That is why this bill is so critical.”
Next steps: Committee requested follow‑up information about purchasing/donations, distribution logistics and how the policy will interact with existing statutes and district policies; no final committee action appears in the hearing record provided.
