Bill Text: AZ SB1424 | 2024 | Fifty-sixth Legislature 2nd Regular | Introduced
Bill Title: Overdose and disease prevention programs
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-02-05 - Senate read second time [SB1424 Detail]
Download: Arizona-2024-SB1424-Introduced.html
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REFERENCE TITLE: overdose and disease prevention programs |
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State of Arizona Senate Fifty-sixth Legislature Second Regular Session 2024
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SB 1424 |
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Introduced by Senators Hernandez: Alston, Epstein, Gabaldón, Hatathlie, Mendez, Miranda, Sundareshan; Representatives Hernandez M, Ortiz, Sandoval, Villegas
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An Act
amending sections 36-798.51 and 36-798.52, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to overdose and disease prevention.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 36-798.51, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
36-798.51. Overdose and disease prevention programs; requirements; standards
A. A city, town, county or nongovernmental organization, including a local health department or an organization that promotes scientifically proven ways of mitigating health risks associated with drug use and other high-risk behaviors, or any combination of these entities, may establish and operate an overdose and disease prevention program. To address the increase in individuals, especially youth, developing and dying from substance use disorders due to increasingly potent substances that are injected or that are inhaled through the mouth or nose, a program established pursuant to this section shall have all of the following objectives:
1. To reduce the spread of viral hepatitis, HIV and other bloodborne diseases in this state.
2. To reduce needle-stick injuries to law enforcement officers and other emergency personnel.
3. To encourage individuals who inject use drugs to enroll in evidence-based treatment.
4. To increase proper disposal of used syringes and other injection or inhalation supply items.
5. To reduce the occurrence of skin and soft tissue wounds and infections related to injection drug use.
B. A program established pursuant to this section shall offer all of the following:
1. Disposal of used needles and hypodermic syringes and other injection or inhalation supply items.
2. Needles, hypodermic syringes and other injection or inhalation supply items at no cost and in quantities sufficient to ensure that needles, hypodermic syringes and other injection or inhalation supply items are not shared or reused.
3. Educational materials on all of the following:
(a) Overdose prevention.
(b) Peer support services.
(c) The prevention of HIV, viral hepatitis transmission and the incidence of skin and soft tissue wounds and infections.
(d) Treatment for mental illness, including treatment referrals.
(e) Treatment for substance use disorder, including referrals for substance use disorder treatment.
4. Access to kits that contain naloxone hydrochloride or any other opioid antagonist that is approved by the United States food and drug administration to treat a drug overdose, or referrals to programs that provide access to naloxone hydrochloride or any other opioid antagonist that is approved by the United States food and drug administration to treat a drug overdose.
5. For each individual who requests services, personal consultations from a program employee or volunteer concerning mental health or substance use disorder treatment or referrals for evidence-based substance use disorder treatment, as appropriate.
C. A program established pursuant to this section shall develop standards for distributing and disposing of needles and hypodermic syringes based on scientific evidence and best practices. The number of needles and hypodermic syringes disposed of through a program shall be at least equivalent to the number of needles and hypodermic syringes distributed through the program.
Sec. 2. Section 36-798.52, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
36-798.52. Immunity
A. Notwithstanding title 13, chapter 34, an employee, volunteer or participant of a program established pursuant to section 36-798.51 may not be charged with or prosecuted for possession of any of the following:
1. A needle, hypodermic syringe or other injection or inhalation supply item obtained from or returned to a program established pursuant to section 36-798.51.
2. A residual amount of a controlled substance contained in a used needle, used hypodermic syringe or used injection or inhalation supply item obtained from or returned to a program established pursuant to section 36-798.51.
B. Subsection A of this section applies only if the person claiming immunity provides verification that a needle, hypodermic syringe or other injection or inhalation supply item was obtained from an overdose and disease prevention program established pursuant to section 36-798.51.
