NY State Senate Bill 2021-S7505

Senate Bill S7505

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Requires instruction in senior high schools regarding calling 911 when witnessing or experiencing a drug or alcohol overdose

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

Please enter your contact information

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

A valid email address is required.

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.

Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 05, 2022	referred to education
Nov 05, 2021	referred to rules

2021-S7505 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A6179
Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Add §804-e, Ed L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: A31

2021-S7505 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires instruction in senior high schools regarding calling 911 when witnessing or experiencing a drug or alcohol overdose; provides that pupils shall receive instruction regarding the lawfulness of calling 911 when witnessing or experiencing a drug or alcohol overdose; encourages pupils to call 911 when witnessing or experiencing a drug or alcohol overdose without fear of arrest.

2021-S7505 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7505

SPONSOR: KAPLAN
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring instruction
in senior high schools regarding calling 911 when witnessing or experi-
encing a drug or alcohol overdose

 
PURPOSE:

This legislation will help educate young people in how to respond to
overdose.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section one amends the education law by adding a new section 804-e.

Section two sets forth the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Nationwide, we continue to face record-high drug overdose deaths, which
have only increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The
COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted life for everyone, but individuals
battling substance use disorder who rely on the support of friends and
family members and regular in-person visits to treatment programs or
support meetings have been particularly hard hit. The stress of
isolation combined with the disruption of treatment plans has led to
many additional overdoses, including here in New York State. Local
reports from Rensselaer County, Ulster County, Erie County and elsewhere
have indicated major increases in overdoses and overdose deaths over
2019 figures.

As we continue to battle the overdose epidemic in New York State, we
must educate as many New Yorkers as possible on how to spot an overdose
and how to properly respond. Under the state's Good Samaritan law, indi-
viduals who call 911 to report a drug or alcohol overdose are protected
from prosecution, as is the individual suffering the overdose. This law
is meant to encourage individuals, even if they are using the substance
themselves, to quickly seek medical attention. Requiring instruction on
the Good Samaritan law in senior high schools will help encourage young
people to act when they encounter a person who has overdosed and help
save lives.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the State.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2021-S7505 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7505
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             November 5, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  KAPLAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring  instruction
   in  senior high schools regarding calling 911 when witnessing or expe-
   riencing a drug or alcohol overdose

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 804-e
 to read as follows:
   § 804-E. INSTRUCTION RELATED TO WITNESSING OR EXPERIENCING A  DRUG  OR
 ALCOHOL  OVERDOSE.  1.  INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION
 220.78 OF THE PENAL LAW, ALSO KNOWN AS THE  "NEW  YORK  STATE  911  GOOD
 SAMARITAN  LAW",  SHALL  BE  INCLUDED  AS A PART OF THE HEALTH EDUCATION
 CURRICULUM IN ALL SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS. SUCH COURSE OF INSTRUCTION  SHALL
 EDUCATE PUPILS ON THE PROTECTIONS OF SUCH LAW, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED
 TO, THE LAWFULNESS OF CALLING 911 WHEN WITNESSING OR EXPERIENCING A DRUG
 OR  ALCOHOL  OVERDOSE  THAT  REQUIRES  EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE, AND SHALL
 ENCOURAGE PUPILS TO CALL 911 WHEN WITNESSING OR EXPERIENCING A  DRUG  OR
 ALCOHOL OVERDOSE WITHOUT FEAR OF ARREST.
   2.  THE  COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS TO ESTAB-
 LISH A CURRICULUM FOR INSTRUCTION WHICH SHALL  BE  AGE  APPROPRIATE  AND
 DEVELOPED  ACCORDING  TO THE NEEDS AND ABILITIES OF PUPILS AT SUCCESSIVE
 GRADE LEVELS.
   3. SCHOOL AUTHORITIES SHALL BE AUTHORIZED TO PROVIDE THE NEEDED FACIL-
 ITIES, TIME, AND PLACE FOR THE  INSTRUCTION  SET  FORTH  HEREIN  AND  TO
 PROVIDE LEARNING AIDS AND CURRICULUM RESOURCE MATERIALS WHICH CONTRIBUTE
 TO  EFFECTIVE  TEACHING  METHODS  AND LEARNING REGARDING THE DECISION TO
 CALL 911 WHEN WITNESSING OR EXPERIENCING A DRUG OR ALCOHOL OVERDOSE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD06198-01-1

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.