BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 867

By: West

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There is ample reason to make certain that institutions of higher education are authorized under state law to receive distributions of opioid antagonists. According to the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments, which is part of the U.S. Department of Education, college students are at high risk for substance abuse. According to a 2016 report of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, more than 11,000 full-time college students use cocaine every day, with nearly 5,000 college students using heroin each day. Heroin and cocaine are two drugs most likely to be diluted with fentanyl, according to CDC. As many fentanyl overdoses are accidental, adding institutions of higher education to the list of institutions and individuals that can receive distributions of opioid antagonists under the opioid antagonist program will help save lives. If institutions of higher education are allowed to receive opioid antagonists, they can distribute those to dormitories and other parts of their institutions where students may be most likely to experience an overdose. S.B. 867 seeks to address this issue by including institutions of higher education among the entities allowed to be provided opioid antagonists by the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission as part of the opioid antagonist program.

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

S.B. 867 amends the Health and Safety Code to include public and private institutions of higher education among the entities to whom the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission may provide opioid antagonists under the opioid antagonist program.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.