HB2940 Summary

• Amends the Alcoholism and Other Drug Abuse and Dependency Act to establish a Drug Overdose Prevention Program including annual reports on drug overdose trends, prevention education materials, and grants to local organizations for overdose prevention projects.

• Provides liability protections for health care professionals who prescribe or dispense naloxone (opioid antidote) in good faith to patients capable of self-administering it in an emergency.

• Allows unlicensed persons to administer naloxone in emergency overdose situations without fee if they received required patient information, with protections against criminal prosecution or professional licensing violations.

• Amends the Good Samaritan Act to exempt law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs, and first responders from civil liability when administering naloxone in emergency situations, removing the previous requirement that emergency care be provided "without fee or compensation."

• Requires health care professionals prescribing naloxone to ensure patients receive information on overdose prevention, recognition, dosage, administration, and the importance of calling 911.