Sponsors (7)
The bill strengthens Good Samaritan protections, training, awareness, and federal monitoring to increase calls for help and overdose reversals, at the cost of potential gaps in coverage (e.g., non‑FDA interventions), privacy and civil‑remedy concerns, and shifted or increased costs that may leave uneven implementation across communities.
People who witness or experience an opioid overdose (including people who use drugs, bystanders, and low-income communities) will be more likely to call for help and receive timely reversal treatment because the bill combines liability protections for naloxone administration, expanded definitions of seeking medical assistance, and funding/awareness/training measures to encourage calls and naloxone
People who call for emergency help during an overdose (people who use drugs and low-income communities) gain protection from federal prosecution for simple drug possession when seeking medical assistance, reducing a major barrier to calling 911
First responders, healthcare providers, and law enforcement will receive more training on overdose response and legal protections (supported via grant guidance), improving coordination and the quality of emergency response
People who fear law enforcement (including immigrants, low-income individuals, and people with criminal records) may still avoid calling for help because the law's protections include reporting to law enforcement and do not prevent arrest or evidence seizure for contraband or outstanding warrants
People at risk of overdose and responders could lose access in some emergencies if the bill limits 'opioid overdose reversal drug' to FDA‑approved, interstate‑commerce products, potentially excluding locally produced or non‑FDA formulations used in certain communities
States and localities, and ultimately low-income communities and taxpayers, may face trade-offs as the bill encourages using Edward Byrne/JAG and other grant funding for training/outreach or prompts new spending from report-driven recommendations, reducing money available for other treatment, prevention, or criminal-justice programs
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Creates federal Good Samaritan protections for emergency opioid-overdose reversal and for those who seek medical help, funds outreach/training uses of existing grants, and requires a GAO evaluation within two years.
Official title: To provide protections from prosecution for drug possession to individuals who seek medical assistance when witnessing or experiencing an overdose, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 22, 2025 by Joseph Neguse · Last progress July 22, 2025
Creates federal Good Samaritan legal protections for people who administer an opioid overdose reversal drug in good faith and for people who seek medical help for an opioid overdose. It also directs HHS (the Secretary) to run a public-awareness campaign with DEA input, authorizes Byrne/JAG grant-funded law enforcement training on the protections, lets certain federal public-health grant recipients use funds for state awareness/training and data-sharing, and requires a GAO review of implementation and grant effectiveness within two years. The bill blocks most civil liability for emergency naloxone (or similar) administration, limits federal prosecution and certain penalties when possession is discovered only because someone sought help, preserves certain law-enforcement authorities in narrow circumstances, and funds outreach/training and evaluation to encourage timely overdose reporting and response.