Z-0652.1

SENATE BILL 5923

BySenators Wellman, Dhingra, Cleveland, Hasegawa, Kuderer, Liias, Nguyen, Nobles, Trudeau, Valdez, Warnick, and C. Wilson; by request of Office of the Governor

AN ACT Relating to fentanyl and other substance use prevention education; and adding new sections to chapter 28A.170 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28A.170 RCW to read as follows:

(1)(a) By September 1, 2024, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, in collaboration with educational service districts, the health care authority, the department of health, and the department of children, youth, and families, shall review frequently used substance use prevention education materials and resources provided to students and their families in middle and high school and identify changes or additional materials and resources.

(b) Changes and additions must include information about the potential lethality and other risks associated with the use of fentanyl and other opioids, and behavioral health resources.

(2) By December 1, 2024, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall: (a) Make updated substance use prevention education materials and resources available on the agency's public website for use by school districts, educational service districts, and community-based organizations working with school-aged youth; and (b) complete revisions to the health and physical education K-12 learning standards that include knowledge and understanding related to fentanyl, opioid, and other life-threatening drug use.

(3) The office of the superintendent of public instruction and partners in subsection (1)(a) of this section shall consult with Indian tribes for input on materials and resources as they are being developed to ensure effectiveness for use in state-tribal education compact schools and for tribal children, youth, and their families.

(4) The office of the superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with educational service districts, the health care authority, the department of health, and the department of children, youth, and families, shall review substance use prevention education materials and resources at least once every other year to ensure they contain the most current information and must be based on strategies that have evidence of effectiveness to the greatest extent possible.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.170 RCW to read as follows:

(1) All school districts that serve students in middle and high school are strongly encouraged to work with their educational service districts and substance abuse intervention specialists in RCW 28A.170.080 to provide fentanyl and other opioid prevention education to students and invite students' families and guardians where possible.

(2) Education to prevent fentanyl and other opioid use included in health standards must be provided once a year to all students in grade seven and grade nine, with information on behavioral health resources as a component of required health programs and schools are encouraged to provide additional programming at their discretion.

(3) When providing health education related to substance use, school districts and educational service districts must consider using the substance use prevention education materials and resources developed in section 1(1) of this act.

(4) Fentanyl and other opioid prevention education delivered through health classes or other discretionary programs must be provided to as many seventh and ninth grade students as possible during the remainder of the 2024-25 school year, and annually to seventh and ninth grade students thereafter.

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