Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed two payments Monday that purpose to deal with the opioid epidemic within the state by growing penalties for exposing police to fentanyl and elevating consciousness for life-saving measures for somebody experiencing an opioid overdose.
DeSantis, a Republican, signed Senate Invoice 718 and Senate Invoice 66 throughout a information convention on the Seminole County Sheriff’s Workplace Skilled Growth Middle in Sanford, Florida.
“Due to the Biden administration’s unwillingness to safe the southern border, legislation enforcement officers are encountering fentanyl at alarming charges,” DeSantis stated. “I am signing laws at the moment to maintain officers secure on the job, and to additional fight the opioid epidemic.”
Senate Invoice 718 would make it a second-degree felony for adults who, whereas unlawfully possessing fentanyl, recklessly expose a primary responder to the substance, resulting in overdose or severe bodily harm.
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The laws additionally expands safety from the legislation for individuals who, in good religion, solicit medical help on the assumption that they or somebody they know is experiencing an alcohol or drug-related overdose.
Senate Invoice 66 will designate June 6 as Revive Consciousness Day within the Sunshine State. The legislation directs the Florida Division of Well being to boost consciousness annually of the hazards of an opioid overdose and the supply and secure use of opioid counteractants to rapidly reverse the results of an opioid overdose.
The legislation, also called Victoria’s Legislation, is called after Victoria Siegel, an 18-year-old woman who died of an unintended, deadly overdose of heroin and anti-depression remedy in 2015. She was the daughter of Florida mogul David Siegel.
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DeSantis additionally introduced that the Coordinated Opioid Restoration Community, or CORE, has expanded from 12 counties to 17 extra counties in Florida, together with Bay, Broward, Collier, Hernando, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Leon, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okaloosa, Orange, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole and St. Lucie counties.
Underneath CORE, Florida has seen a discount within the variety of emergency medical service responses crucial for drug overdose, the governor stated.
“Opioid dependancy has been a scourge within the lives of too many Floridians and too many Individuals across the nation,” State Surgeon Common Joseph Ladapo stated on the information convention. “Due to Governor DeSantis and the help of our legislators, we’re persevering with to take steps to deal with this human tragedy. CORE’s enlargement will help and deal with extra Floridians and function a mannequin for states across the nation.”
