Governor DeSantis signed Senate Bill 718, a measure that will increase penalties for anyone who exposes any law enforcement officer to fentanyl.
The new law also expands protection from prosecution for individuals who, in good faith, seek help for themselves or someone they know who may be in danger of suffering an opioid overdose.
At the signing ceremony, the Governor said he is signing the legislation to keep officers safe on the job and further combat the opioid epidemic.
The Governor also enacted Senate Bill 66. This legislation directs the Florida Department of Health to expand its efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of opioids.
SB 718 does the following:
· Creates a second-degree felony for any adult who, through illegal possession of dangerous fentanyl or fentanyl products, recklessly exposes any first responder to such fentanyl and it results in an overdose or serious bodily injury.
· Expands protections from prosecution for individuals who seek help in good faith due to the belief that they or someone they know is suffering an overdose.
SB 66 does the following:
· Designates June 6th as Revive Awareness Day.
· Directs the Florida Department of Health to raise awareness about the dangers of opioid overdose and the safe use of opioid countermeasures.
Governor DeSantis also announced the expansion of the Coordinated Opioid Recovery Network known as CORE.
The Department of Health, the Department of Children and Families, and the Agency for Health Care Administration have joined forces to create CORE, which is a network of addiction care centers. CORE promotes the use of naloxone, which counteracts the excessive effects of fentanyl and other opioids.
CORE currently serves only 12 Florida counties. The program will now expand to include 29 counties across the state.
The 17 additional counties are Bay, Broward, Collier, Hernando, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Leon, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okaloosa, Orange, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, and St. Lucie.
While national statistics show that only 18.8% of adults with opioid addiction received medication to treat the addiction in the past year, CORE far exceeded the national average, with 48.9% of patients receiving medication-assisted treatment.
CORE providers have responded to nearly 18,000 emergency calls that resulted in a life saved thanks to the administration of naloxone.
With the launch of CORE, Florida has also seen a reduction in the number of emergency medical service responses for drug overdoses.
Recent statewide data shows 607 fewer emergency medical service responses to suspected overdoses. That is a 3% decrease since 2022.
Since the launch of the CORE program, overdose deaths are declining in Florida. Data shows a 9% decrease from September 2022 to September 2023. That equals 557 fewer deaths compared to the state’s count from the previous year.
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