Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Opioid Overdose Response topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee advances bill to expand naloxone options in state portal
Summary
SB 542, which would require the state naloxone portal to offer all FDA‑approved opioid antagonists rather than a single‑dose product, was reported out of the House Health Policy Committee unanimously. Lawmakers cited real incidents where a single dose was insufficient.
The House Health Policy Committee reported SB 542, a bill sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Hertel, which would require the Department of Health and Human Services to offer all FDA‑approved opioid antagonists through the state naloxone portal rather than only a single‑dose product. The committee moved the bill with a unanimous recorded vote (18 yays, 0 nays).
Matt Black, testifying for Sen. Hertel, summarized the bill’s effect as expanding the array of opioid antagonists available through the state portal and leaving DHHS responsible for ensuring the change does not jeopardize federal funding. Representative Roth described personal and district incidents in which multiple doses were required and criticized prior DHHS resistance to accepting additional options.
Representative Conlon relayed a firefighter’s account of a double‑overdose call in which a responder had to choose who to treat first because only one naloxone dose was immediately available, arguing that multiple doses are sometimes required for effective reversal.
Chair Rogers read multiple letters of support into the record, including from pharmacists, medical associations, and community groups. Representative Glanville moved to report the bill out with recommendation; the clerk recorded 18 yays and the motion prevailed.
What’s next: SB 542 was reported from committee and will proceed in the legislative process. Implementation details and DHHS operational guidance would be addressed administratively if the bill becomes law.
