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Bill

S 8153

Requires opioid antagonists in student gathering places at colleges and universities and requires college and university emergency medical services to carry opioid antagonists

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Nathalia Fernández

Requires naloxone to be available in student gathering areas and carried by campus EMS, enabling rapid overdose reversal and protecting students, staff, and visitors.

REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
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Bill Summary · S 8153

Summary of Bill S 8153

Overview

S 8153, introduced May 15, 2025, and sponsored by Nathalia Fernandez (primary), is a higher education bill that would require opioid antagonists (naloxone) to be available in student gathering places on college and university campuses and require college and university emergency medical services (EMS) to carry opioid antagonists. The bill status is “REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION.”

Purpose and Intent

  • Reduce mortality and health risks from opioid overdoses on campus.
  • Improve rapid access to life-saving reversal medication for students, staff, visitors, and EMS responding to overdoses.
  • Standardize naloxone availability across college and university settings.

Key Provisions (as described in the bill’s title and actions)

  • Naloxone in Student Gathering Places
    • Requires opioid antagonists to be accessible in student gathering places at colleges and universities. These spaces may include common areas, student centers, athletic facilities, dormitory lounges, event spaces, and similar on-campus locations where students congregate.
    • Ensures doses are readily available for immediate use in overdose situations.
  • EMS Requirements
    • Mandates that college and university emergency medical services carry opioid antagonists as part of their on-campus medical response capabilities.
    • Aligns on-campus medical responders with naloxone availability to enable prompt administration during emergencies.
  • Training and Protocols (typical elements, to be confirmed in final text)
    • Potential training requirements for staff and EMS personnel on recognizing overdose signs and properly administering naloxone.
    • Possible establishment of protocols or standing orders to authorize administration in appropriate scenarios.
  • Compliance, Storage, and Accessibility
    • Likely specifications for storage, labeling, dating, and access controls to ensure dose integrity and timely retrieval during emergencies.
  • Reporting and Oversight (potential elements)
    • Possible annual or periodic reporting on naloxone inventory, administration events, and outcomes to a designated higher education authority.
  • Funding and Costs (potential elements)
    • Possible provisions for funding mechanisms, procurement responsibilities, or use of existing campus health budgets to cover naloxone purchase and training.

Affected Parties

  • Colleges and universities within the jurisdiction.
  • Campus EMS teams and on-campus health services.
  • Students, faculty, staff, and campus visitors who may benefit from naloxone availability.

Procedural Status and Timeline

  • Introduced: May 15, 2025.
  • Current Status: Referred to the Higher Education committee for review and consideration.
  • The final bill text will specify timelines for compliance, effective dates, training deadlines, and any sunset or renewals.

Potential Impacts and Considerations

  • Positive public health impact through faster overdose reversal on campuses.
  • Financial considerations for procurement, training, and ongoing stocking of naloxone.
  • Legal and liability considerations (typically includes liability protections for good-faith use; final text will clarify).
  • Implementation logistics across diverse campus environments.

Next Steps

  • The Higher Education committee will review the bill, consider amendments, and determine whether to advance it toward floor consideration.
  • Stakeholders (college and university administrations, campus EMS, student groups) may seek clarity on training requirements, funding, and implementation timelines.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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