Senate Bill 15-053 Summary

• Allows physicians and physician assistants to prescribe or dispense opiate antagonists (naloxone) directly or through standing orders to individuals at risk of overdose, their family/friends, harm reduction organization employees, and first responders.

• Extends similar prescribing and dispensing authority to advanced practice nurses with prescriptive authority and pharmacists under specified conditions.

• Protects healthcare providers, first responders, and harm reduction organization employees from civil liability and criminal prosecution when prescribing, dispensing, or administering opiate antagonists in good faith to treat or prevent opioid overdoses.

• Requires providers dispensing opiate antagonists to educate recipients on overdose recognition, emergency response procedures, rescue breathing, and proper antagonist administration.

• Establishes that prescribing or dispensing opiate antagonists does not constitute unprofessional conduct or grounds for discipline when done in good faith to assist at-risk individuals or those positioned to help them.