BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2145
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Date of Hearing: April 28, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 2145 (Ammiano) - As Introduced: February 18, 2010
Policy Committee: JudiciaryVote:9-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill provides authority to specified licensed health care
providers and trained laypeople statewide to prescribe and
administer naloxone, a medication used to reverse the effects of
opioid overdose, without risk of civil or criminal penalty.
Specifically, this bill
1)Expands authority established by SB 767, Chapter 477, in 2007
in seven counties and makes the provisions permanent.
2)Expands SB 767 provisions from licensed health care
professionals to trained lay people.
3)Requires the California Department of Drug and Alcohol
Programs to publish an annual report on drug overdose trends
and death rates.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)One-time GF costs of $200,000 to $300,000 to the Department of
Drug and Alcohol Programs (DADP) to publish an initial annual
report about drug overdose information statewide, including
measurement of trends in death rates, emergency service use,
and other interventions that may be successful at reducing
morbidity and mortality in this area. On-going GF costs in the
range of $50,000 to $100,000.
2)Unknown, potentially significant savings to the extent this
bill reduces statewide medical costs associated with drug
overdose deaths and treatment costs.
COMMENTS
AB 2145
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1)Rationale . This bill is co-sponsored by the Harm Reduction
Coalition and the Los Angeles Overdose Prevention Task Force.
The civil and criminal immunity created by this bill addresses
provider concerns about being held liable for the prescription
or administration of overdose medication. Under current law,
some providers and trained lay people are hesitant to
prescribe naloxone due to concern risk of civil or criminal
penalties.
2)Background . Since 2007, Alameda, Fresno, Humboldt, Los
Angeles, Mendocino, San Francisco, and Santa Cruz counties
have had SB 767 pilot programs that have collectively
prevented hundreds of drug overdose deaths. Other states
including New York, New Mexico and Connecticut have enacted
state laws creating similar provider immunity as established
in this bill. The DADP reporting requirements increase the
availability of information about drug overdoses and
prevention efforts statewide.
3)A Drug Overdose creates a depression of the central nervous
system, compromises breathing, and is a leading cause of
accidental death. According to the sponsors of this bill there
are approximately 3,000 drug overdose deaths each year in
California. Common sources of overdoses are opiates, which
include heroin, morphine, and methadone. The medication
naloxone, an opioid antagonist, is administered to counteract
a depression of the nervous system and to return breathing to
normal. Naloxone blocks receptors in the brain to prevent the
action of opioids.
4)Related Legislation . SB 1695 (Escutia), Chapter 678, Statutes
of 2002, authorizes counties to develop a program to certify
emergency medical technicians to administer naloxone.
Analysis Prepared by : Mary Ader / APPR. / (916) 319-2081