Urges Congress to enact the "HALT Fentanyl Act."

2024-2025 Regular Session Introduced by Dawn Fantasia

NJ Assembly urges Congress to pass SB 331, the HALT Fentanyl Act, to place illegal fentanyl on Schedule I of the federal CSA, aligning federal policy with NJ and curbing overdoses

Introduced in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee

#drugabuse #memorializat

What the bill is

Type: Concurrent resolution in the New Jersey General Assembly

Bill number: ACR 168

Title: Urges Congress to enact the "HALT Fentanyl Act."

Status: Introduced in the Assembly on June 12, 2025; referred to the Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee

Purpose: Express the New Jersey Legislature’s support for federal action to classify illegal fentanyl and related substances as Schedule I under the federal Controlled Substances Act via Senate Bill 331 (the HALT Fentanyl Act)

Main purpose and intent

The resolution respectfully urges the United States Congress to enact SB 331, the HALT Fentanyl Act.

It frames the federal scheduling of illegal fentanyl as a critical step to strengthen nationwide efforts against illicit production, trafficking, and related overdoses.

It connects federal action to ongoing state and national overdose data and public health trends.

Key provisions and changes described

Federal action urged: Classification of illegal fentanyl and related substances as Schedule I under the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

Schedule I criteria: High potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical value, and strict regulatory controls with penalties (including possible mandatory minimum sentences) under federal law.

Context provided in the resolution:

CDC data: about 107,000 drug overdose deaths in 2023, with nearly 70% linked to opioids such as illegal fentanyl.
A recent decline: 14.5% decrease in overdose deaths nationally from June 2023 to June 2024.
New Jersey context: overdose deaths declined 35% from the 2021–2022 peak to 2023–2024, but overdoses remain a leading cause of death for adults 18–44.
Illegally made fentanyl is highlighted as the primary driver of overdose risk, often added to other drugs.
DEA data cited: five of ten illegal pills tested in fall 2024 contained a potentially deadly fentanyl dose.
A gram of fentanyl (about the size of a sugar packet) can be lethal to up to ~500 people.

State vs. federal interplay:

New Jersey already classifies illicit fentanyls as Schedule I under state rules (N.J.A.C. 13:45H-10.1).
The resolution argues that federal scheduling would harmonize national efforts and strengthen enforcement.

Who or what would be affected

Directly affects federal policy: scheduling illegal fentanyl as Schedule I, with corresponding federal penalties and regulatory controls.

Indirectly reinforces state-level efforts in New Jersey by aligning with the state’s existing Schedule I designation for illicit fentanyls.

The resolution itself does not enactstate law changes; it is a messaging/advocacy tool to influence federal action.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Status: Introduced June 12, 2025; referred to the Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee.

Nature: Concurrent resolution (non-binding); expresses the Legislature’s position and urges action by the U.S. Congress.

Action requested: Copies of the resolution are to be transmitted to federal leaders (Senate Majority/Minority Leaders, House Speaker/Minority Leader) and every member of Congress from New Jersey.

Bottom line

ACR 168 is a non-binding, cross-branch message from New Jersey’s Legislature urging Congress to enact SB 331 (the HALT Fentanyl Act) to place illegal fentanyl and related substances on Schedule I of the federal CSA, aligning federal policy with state classifications and highlighting the severe public health threat posed by illicit fentanyl.

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