Supervisor Thomas proposed that the Legislative Rules and Governmental Operations Committee consider a resolution similar to one adopted in Orleans County urging New York state officials to expand standing orders to include all FDA-approved opioid antagonists and to support related legislation.

Supervisor Thomas summarized the proposed resolve language and cited statistics and concerns about fentanyl, saying that in 2022 “90 percent of all opioid deaths are fentanyl related.” The draft resolution the supervisor described would ask Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Department of Health to expand the state standing order to include all FDA-approved opioid reversal agents and would direct the clerk to transmit copies of the resolution to the governor and appropriate state representatives.

The committee considered whether there was support to place the resolution on next month’s agenda; the chair said he needed at least four supporting committee members to do so. The count of supporters did not produce a clear majority during the meeting, and the item was not advanced as a formal agenda item at that time.

Committee members asked for more factual context before advancing a resolution. Jennifer (a staff member on the record) suggested someone from the health department be invited to give the committee a sense of the county’s opioid situation. Committee members recommended inviting Rob Dork (mental-health department staff) because his department administers both restricted and unrestricted opioid funding for the county.

No formal motion or resolution was adopted during the May 30 meeting; the committee recorded the proposal and the request to schedule a briefing from county health or mental-health staff as the next step.