STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman AURA K. DUNN
District 25 (Morris and Passaic)
Assemblyman DONALD A. GUARDIAN
District 2 (Atlantic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Barranco and Assemblywoman Matsikoudis
SYNOPSIS
Requires institutions of higher education to maintain 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 resident assistants.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning the emergency administration of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray at institutions of higher education and supplementing Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this act:
"Institution of higher education" or "institution" means a public or independent institution of higher education.
"Licensed campus medical professional" means a physician, physician assistant, advanced practice nurse, or registered nurse who is appropriately licensed by the State of New Jersey and is employed or engaged by an institution of higher education.
"Naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray" means medication approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in the form of a nasal spray to treat an opioid overdose.
"Opioid overdose" means an acute condition including, but not limited to, extreme physical illness, decreased level of consciousness, respiratory depression, coma, or death resulting from the consumption or use of an opioid drug or another substance with which an opioid drug was combined, and that a layperson would reasonably believe to require medical assistance.
"Resident assistant" means a student enrolled at an institution of higher education who is responsible for assisting students residing in a residence hall operated by an institution of higher education.
2. a. An institution of higher education shall obtain a supply of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray pursuant to a standing order issued under section 4 of the "Overdose Prevention Act," P.L.2013, c.46 (C.24:6J-4) or section 1 of P.L.2017, c.88 (C.45:14-67.2) to be maintained in one or more secure and easily accessible locations throughout the residence halls of the institution for the purpose of responding to an opioid overdose emergency. The naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray shall be maintained by the institution in quantities and types deemed adequate by the governing board of the institution in consultation with the Commissioner of Health.
b. An institution of higher education shall develop a policy concerning the emergency administration of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for opioid overdose emergencies occurring in residence halls. The policy shall:
(1) designate a licensed campus medical professional to oversee the institution's program for the maintenance and emergency administration of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray in residence halls;
(2) permit a licensed campus medical professional to designate residence assistants to administer naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray to any person whom the resident assistant in good faith believes is experiencing an opioid overdose in a residence hall; 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.
c. A resident assistant designated to administer naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray by a licensed campus medical professional shall only be authorized to administer the spray after receiving the training required under subsection b. of section 3 of this act.
3. a. The Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health and appropriate medical experts, shall establish guidelines for the development of a policy by an institution of higher education for the emergency administration of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray. Each institution of higher education shall implement the guidelines in developing a policy pursuant to section 2 of this act.
b. The guidelines shall include a requirement that a licensed campus medical professional and resident assistants designated by the licensed campus medical professional pursuant to subsection c. of section 2 of this act receive training on standard protocols for the emergency administration of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray to a person experiencing an opioid overdose in a residence hall. The training shall include the overdose prevention information described in subsection a. of section 5 of the "Overdose Prevention Act," P.L.2013, c.46 (C.24:6J-5). The guidelines shall specify an appropriate entity or entities to provide the training.
4. No licensed campus medical professional, resident assistant, pharmacist, or an authorized health care practitioner who issues a standing order for naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray to an institution of higher education shall be held liable for any good faith act or omission consistent with the provisions of this act. For purposes of this act, good faith shall not include willful misconduct, gross negligence, or recklessness.
5. This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month next following the date of enactment, except the Secretary of Higher Education may take any anticipatory administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill 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 resident assistants.
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 residence halls of the institution to respond to an opioid overdose emergency. Institutions would also be required to develop a policy concerning the emergency administration of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for opioid overdose emergencies occurring in residence halls. 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 in residence halls; (2) permit a licensed campus medical professional to designate residence assistants to administer naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray to any person whom the resident assistant in good faith believes is experiencing an opioid overdose in a residence hall; 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 resident assistant 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 bill also directs the Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health 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 bill. Specifically, the guidelines would include a requirement that a licensed campus medical professional and resident assistants 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 in a residence hall. The training would also include overdose prevention information described in the State's "Overdose Prevention Act." The guidelines would further specify an appropriate entity or entities to provide the training.
The bill provides immunity from liability for licensed campus medical professionals, resident assistants, 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 bill. For purposes of this bill, good faith would not include willful misconduct, gross negligence, or recklessness.