Opioids are a class of drugs that include heroine, fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine.  Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid.  Pharmaceutical fentanyl is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use as an analgesic and anesthetic. 

Fentanyl can also be illegally made and distributed.  It can be made in both a liquid and powder formula and can be mixed with other drugs.  Fentanyl is not detectable through sight, taste, smell, or touch.  However, fentanyl can be detected through the use of fentanyl test strips, which are small strips of paper that can detect fentanyl in different kind of drugs when dissolved in water.

Naloxone is a medication designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose.  It works by binding to opioid receptors in the body and can reverse and block the effects of opioids.

Washington's Good Samaritan Law limits liability for a person who renders emergency care at the scene of an emergency or who participates in transporting an injured person from the scene, without compensation or the expectation of compensation.  The law excludes persons who render such care during the course of regular employment and who receive compensation or expect to receive compensation for such care.

Each public and private institution of higher education must provide opioid and fentanyl prevention education and awareness information to all students. Education may be offered in person or online and must include information about Washington's Good Samaritan Law.

Naloxone and fentanyl strips must be made available to students on campus in various accessible locations. 

Institutions must provide staff working in residence halls training and education on administering naloxone.

For the purpose of assisting a person at risk of experiencing an opioid-related overdose, an institution may obtain and maintain opioid overdose reversal medication through a standing order prescribed and dispensed in accordance with an existing standing order. 

PRO: We face a crisis with fentanyl and opiates. Youth are some of our hardest hit populations. Too often young people are afraid to call for help for fear of getting in trouble and too often they don't have the tools to save lives. Naloxone and fentanyl test strips are lifesaving interventions. This bill is an important step forward and will save lives. Well-crafted education and awareness when couples with lifesaving interventions like naloxone and test strips will save lives. Tacoma Community College is a leader among institutions in stocking Naloxone in every building. This bill will bring this lifesaving intervention to every campus. We are in support of this bill and ask that it get funded and included in the budget. This is a proactive measure in tackling this crisis before our communities. It is imperative that we educate our students on the dangers of opioids.

OTHER: We are aligned with the intent of this bill but are wary of the costs. We hope the final bill will include a review or sunset of this bill. We ask that recurring grant funds we provided to support the not-for-profit colleges in implementing this and training staff.

PRO: Representative Greg Nance, Prime Sponsor; Amanda Kost, UW Faculty; Melissa Beard, Council of Presidents; Isela Bonilla, Associated Students of WSU Vancouver; Stella Seth, Legislative Liaison, Associated Students, Western Washington University; Scott Waller, Washington Association for Substance misuse and Violence Prevention (WASAVP); Mollie Kuwahara, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

PRO: The Community and Technical College system is in strong support of this bill, which is about saving lives. Addiction is a disease that does not pick and choose who it effects. Many of our schools have lost students to this epidemic. This bill will help save lives, through naloxone access and by improving training. According to a recent analysis, fentanyl has had an outsized impact of those under age thirty. Unintentional overdoses have been increasing on college campuses. We think training, test strips, and naloxone made accessible under this bill can save a lot of lives. Youth and parents are in dire need of this well thought out policy. The data shows that seven out of ten drugs are laced with fentanyl, and it takes only two milligrams of fentanyl to kill. Drug overdose deaths have almost doubled, and 68 percent of overdose deaths in Washington involve an opioid. Our young people are especially vulnerable to this scourge.

OTHER: This bill has costs for independent colleges that are not addressed in this fiscal note. Our campuses are committed to fentanyl prevention and education. Our campuses are not funded for this work, so we are asking for a recurring grant program for our not-for-profit independent campuses to access these resources. We are also asking for a review or a sunset to make sure the bill stays current with contemporary challenges moving forward.