DeSantis signs legislation protecting first responders from fentanyl exposure
TAMPA, Fla. - Thousands of Floridians die every year from overdoses. The battle against fentanyl and drug abuse can seem never-ending.
That's why Governor Ron DeSantis is making another attempt to tackle the opioid crisis by signing new legislation aimed at protecting first responders from fentanyl exposure.
He first signed Senate Bill 718 at a press conference in Sanford, which will provide criminal penalties if someone exposes a first responder to a controlled substance that is in their possession.
Any overdose or serious bodily injury to a first responder caused by fentanyl will be a second-degree felony.
It also prohibits the arrest, charging and prosecution of a person who ‘acts in good faith’ seeking medical assistance for a person experiencing an overdose.
The bill passed unanimously in the Senate and had 12 "No's" in the House. It will take effect on Oct. 1.
"This is nasty stuff," DeSantis said. "You have situations where law enforcement personnel are responding to these situations that fentanyl may be involved and, you know, they really are putting themselves at risk because it's not like they have to start popping pills to be affected by this."
The governor also signed HB 66, which will make June 6th, "Revive Awareness Day".
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The bill is supported by the Victoria's Voice Foundation, which was founded by Orlando-based reality TV star parents Jackie and David Siegel, whose daughter, Victoria, died from an accidental overdose in 2015.
The governor also announced the expansion of the Coordinated Opioid Recovery Network, which is the state's addiction recovery program coordinated by the Department of Health, Department of Children and Families and the Agency for Health Care Administration.
Its goal is to curb the number of deaths caused by laced drugs with medication treatment, recovery programs and support. It started in 2022 and will be expanded to 29 counties.
New counties added include Hernando, Hillsborough, Polk and Sarasota counties.