OPIOID ANTAGONIST DISTRIBUTION H.B. 5077 & H.B. 5078:
SUMMARY OF BILL
REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE
House Bills 5077 and 5078 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Representative Curtis S. VanderWall
House Committee: Health Policy
Senate Committee: Health Policy
CONTENT
House Bill 5077 would amend the Administration of Opioid Antagonists Act to specify that an agency that purchased or otherwise obtained and possessed an opioid antagonist or an employee of an agency who possessed an opioid antagonist distributed to that employee or agency could distribute that opioid antagonist directly or indirectly to any individual.
House Bill 5078 would amend the Public Health Code to allow a prescriber to issue a prescription for and a dispensing prescriber or pharmacist to dispense an opioid antagonist to an agency authorized to obtain an opioid antagonist under the Administration of Opioid Antagonists Act.
The bills are tie-barred.
333.17744b (H.B. 5078)
BRIEF RATIONALE
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 2,931 Michigan residents died from opioid overdoses in 2023.[1] According to testimony before the Senate Committee on Health Policy, expanding the ability to distribute opioid antagonists has helped other states reduce their opioid-related death tolls by 14%. The bills would better facilitate the flow of opioid antagonists to agencies and employees of agencies, who could then distribute those opioid antagonists directly or indirectly to any individual. To reduce opioid deaths in Michigan, the bills should be passed.
Legislative Analyst: Alex Krabill
FISCAL IMPACT
The bills could have a positive fiscal impact on the State and local governments. The immunity provisions could reduce the number of prosecutions and convictions for possession or administration of controlled substances by employees or agents, which could reduce court and corrections costs and costs of litigation for an agency that obtained opioid antagonists and trained agents or employees in the administration of opioid antagonists.
Date Completed: 11-4-24 Fiscal Analysts: Joe Carrasco, Jr.
Bobby Canell
Nathan Leaman
Michael Siracuse
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.
[1] Georgea Kovanis, Detroit Free Press, US overdose deaths decline for first time in 5 years as Michigan sees dip, too , May 2024.