Scott introduces bill to provide schools with anti-overdose drugs

Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) has teamed up with Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) to introduce the bipartisan School Access to Naloxone Act.

The bill would ensure that “school personnel have the training to administer lifesaving drugs and devices for emergency treatment in cases of known or suspected opioid overdose.”

This bill is par for the course for Sen. Scott. In both the 117^th and 118^th Congress, the Florida lawmaker introduced and reintroduced bills such as the END FENTANYL Act as well as the Felony Murder for Deadly Fentanyl Distribution Act, which makes it possible for a dealer of the fatal drug to be sentenced for the equivalent of felony murder.

“Across the United States, the fentanyl crisis continues to rage and take the lives of innocent Americans. I’ve talked to parents all across the Sunshine State who have dealt with the crushing loss of a child to fentanyl, and know too well that Florida has not been spared from this deadly crisis, and neither have our schools,” stated Sen. Scott. “Parents deserve the comfort that if the unimaginable happens, our schools are as prepared as possible to save lives.”

Scott would go on to mention, “That is why Senator Merkley and I have introduced the bipartisan School Access to Naloxone Act to make sure that our schools have the resources they need, like training and Naloxone, to respond effectively in the case of an overdose. I hope to see this deadly crisis end soon, but until that happens I won’t stop fighting to protect our kids from these killer drugs.”

Additionally, Sen. Merkley provided his thoughts as well, saying “Naloxone saves lives.”

“Oregon currently faces the fastest growing drug-related death rate among teens in the entire nation—we must show up for our younger generations and present effective solutions to this crisis. Naloxone saves lives, and helping schools stock and administer it is an important part of what needs to be a multi-pronged effort to tackle this crisis,” said Sen. Merkley.

Representatives Dave Joyce (R-OH) and Dean Philips (D-MN) introduced the companion legislation for this bill earlier this year.