Sponsors propose policies for naloxone in schools amid fentanyl concerns

Columbus — Representatives Jerrells and Williams told the House Education Committee House Bill 57 would require school districts that choose to maintain overdose‑reversal medication (naloxone/Narcan) on campus to adopt policies for storage, training and rapid administration, and to notify parents under circumstances specified in the bill.

Sponsors framed the bill as a life‑saving measure in response to an increase in fentanyl‑laced products and reported school overdoses. Representative Jerrells said naloxone has no abuse potential and compared campus placement to automated external defibrillators (AEDs), noting that rapid administration can be lifesaving. Representative Williams described family experience and local incidents where no naloxone was available and urged the committee to permit districts to accept donations and to prepare staff through training.

Committee members asked about training, scope and whether the bill would apply to public, charter and nonpublic schools. Sponsors said the bill covers traditional public, community and nonpublic chartered/non‑chartered schools if they elect to stock the drug; the requirement to adopt policies is triggered when a school houses naloxone. Sponsors and committee members discussed how to define a "persistent problem" for mandatory parent notification; sponsors preferred a low trigger and said they were open to committee input.

Sponsors said the bill is permissive (it does not mandate purchase) and is intended to avoid stigma and administrative hesitation when schools consider making naloxone available. No committee vote was taken.