BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3144

By: Lujan

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There has been an alarming rise in fentanyl overdose deaths in Texas. The Kaprosy family, constituents of House District 118, experienced the devastation that fentanyl can have on a person, their family, and the surrounding community. At 17 years old, Danica Kaprosy, daughter of Daniel and Veronica Kaprosy, passed away after unknowingly taking a pill laced with fentanyl, making her one of the earliest documented fatalities due to fentanyl poisoning in Bexar County. The ongoing fentanyl epidemic needs to be stopped. H.B. 3144 seeks to address this issue by designating October as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month in order to help highlight and bring awareness of the dangers and drastic effects of fentanyl to public school students across Texas.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 3144 amends the Government Code to designate October as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month to increase awareness of the dangers of fentanyl and potential overdoses. The bill authorizes the regular observance of Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month through appropriate activities in communities to increase that awareness.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.