STATEMENT TO

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 2929

with Senate Floor Amendments

(Proposed by Senator SINGER)

ADOPTED: SEPTEMBER 12, 2019

      These Senate amendments provide that local drug overdose fatality review teams will be established by the Local Advisory Committee on Alcohol Use Disorder and Drug Use Disorder in each county, rather than by the Commissioner of Health.

      The amendments provide that the Commissioner of Human Services is to make appropriate funding available to drug overdose fatality review teams to enable the teams to carry out their duties under the bill, including providing sufficient funding to allow the teams to hire necessary and appropriate personnel.

      The amendments provide that the Department of Health is to develop a uniform, standardized reporting process for drug overdose deaths, and forward certain information concerning each drug overdose death to the appropriate local drug overdose fatality review team, including certain personal details concerning the overdose victim and certain particulars concerning the circumstances of the overdose victim’s death.  Local drug overdose fatality review teams will also be provided access to certain health treatment records and government records concerning the overdose victim, if the victim’s next of kin or authorized representative consents to the team being provided access to this information.  Prior to amendment, the bill required the Department of Health to collect this information and transmit it to the appropriate local drug overdose fatality review team for review.

      The amendments direct State and local government agencies to share records and information concerning an overdose victim with a drug overdose fatality review team upon request, provided that the victim’s next of kin or authorized representative consents to disclosure of any information that may not be shared without consent, including confidential and personal identifying information.

      The amendments remove a requirement that the Department of Health report the findings of local drug overdose fatality review teams to the Governor and to the Legislature.