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Senate approves first substitute of House Bill 238 to expand naloxone access for outreach providers
Summary
Senator Shiozawa's first substitute of House Bill 238 renames and clarifies the Emergency Administration of Opioid Antagonist and Opioid Overdose Response Act, allowing outreach providers to distribute naloxone and providing civil‑liability protections for good‑faith responders; floor recorded vote was 25‑0.
The Senate passed the first substitute to House Bill 238, a measure that renames Utah’s overdose response statute and expands the ability of outreach providers to carry and administer naloxone, while offering civil‑liability protections for those who act in good faith.
Senator Shiozawa summarized earlier floor discussion and described the primary change as enabling outreach providers to provide naloxone to people experiencing opioid overdoses and to receive limited civil‑liability protection when they act in good faith. He emphasized that related bills contain coordinated clauses to align statutory language across multiple overdose and opioid response measures.
The sponsor also noted practical considerations for implementation in pharmacies and local public health settings, explaining how standing orders could allow pharmacists or health directors who are physicians to authorize dispensing and counseling on naloxone use to patients or caregivers. Supporters framed the changes as life‑saving public‑health measures.
The chamber recorded the first substitute as passing on a roll‑call vote recorded in the transcript as 25 yes, 0 no (absences recorded separately in the roll). The bill will be sent back to the House for further consideration as required.
