ASSEMBLY HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

ASSEMBLY, Nos. 4852 and 1170

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JANUARY 23, 2023

     The Assembly Higher Education Committee favorably reports an Assembly Committee Substitute for Assembly Bills Nos. 4852 and 1170.

     This committee substitute requires institutions of higher education to maintain a supply of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for opioid overdose emergencies and permits emergency administration of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray by licensed campus medical professionals and designated members of the higher education community.

     Under the committee substitute, institutions of higher education would obtain a supply of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray pursuant to a standing order issued by a health care practitioner to be maintained in secure and easily accessible locations throughout the campus to respond to an opioid overdose emergency.  Institutions also would be required to develop a policy concerning the emergency administration of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for opioid overdose emergencies occurring on campus.  The policy would be required to:  (1) designate a licensed campus medical professional to oversee the institution’s program for the maintenance and emergency administration of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray on campus; (2) permit a licensed campus medical professional to designate members of the higher education community to administer naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray to any person whom the member in good faith believes is experiencing an opioid overdose on campus; and (3) require the transportation of an overdose victim to a hospital emergency room by emergency services personnel after the administration of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray, even if the person’s symptoms appear to have resolved.  A member of the higher education community designated to administer naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray by a licensed campus medical professional would only be authorized to administer the spray after receiving required training.

     The committee substitute also directs the Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Human Services and appropriate medical experts, to establish guidelines for the development of a policy by an institution of higher education for the emergency administration of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray.  Institutions of higher education would be required to implement the guidelines in developing a policy pursuant to the substitute.  Specifically, the guidelines would include a requirement that a licensed campus medical professional and members of the higher education community designated by the licensed campus medical professional receive training on standard protocols for the emergency administration of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray to a person experiencing an opioid overdose on campus. The guidelines would further specify an appropriate entity or entities to provide the training.

     The committee substitute provides immunity from liability for licensed campus medical professionals, designated members of the higher education community, pharmacists, or authorized health care practitioners who issue a standing order for naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray to an institution of higher education for any good faith act or omission consistent with the provisions of the substitute.  The substitute also provides that in the event that a licensed athletic trainer, who is designated to administer naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray, administers the spray, it will not constitute a violation of the "Athletic Training Licensure Act.”