Bill Text: TX SB556 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Relating to measures to prevent and respond to opioid-related drug overdoses, including policies and training regarding the use of opioid antagonists, at student residences on campuses of public institutions of higher education; providing immunity.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2025-02-03 - Referred to Education K-16 [SB556 Detail]

Download: Texas-2025-SB556-Introduced.html

---

89R3604 CXP-D
By: Johnson S.B. No. 556

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to measures to prevent and respond to opioid-related drug
overdoses, including policies and training regarding the use of
opioid antagonists, at student residences on campuses of public
institutions of higher education; providing immunity.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter Y-2 to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER Y-2. PROVIDING OPIOID ANTAGONISTS AT CAMPUS RESIDENCE
HALLS
Sec. 51.891. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Campus" means an educational unit under the
management and control of an institution of higher education and
may include, in addition to the main campus, off-campus and
secondary locations, such as branch campuses, teaching locations,
and regional centers.
(2) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board.
(3) "Employee" means an individual employed by an
institution of higher education.
(4) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning
assigned by Section 61.003.
(5) "Opioid antagonist" and "opioid-related drug
overdose" have the meanings assigned by Section 483.101, Health and
Safety Code.
(6) "Physician" means a person who holds a license to
practice medicine in this state.
Sec. 51.892. REQUIRED POLICY REGARDING OPIOID ANTAGONISTS
IN RESIDENCE HALLS. (a) Each institution of higher education that
offers on-campus student housing shall adopt and implement a policy
providing for:
(1) the availability of opioid antagonists at each
residence hall on the institution's campus, including provisions
for the acquisition, maintenance, storage, administration, and
disposal of those devices; and
(2) the training of resident advisors in the proper
use of those devices.
(b) The policy adopted under Subsection (a) must provide
that resident advisors who are authorized and trained may
administer an opioid antagonist to a person who is reasonably
believed to be experiencing an opioid-related drug overdose in a
residence hall on the institution's campus.
(c) The coordinating board with advice from the
commissioner of state health services shall adopt rules regarding
the maintenance, storage, administration, and disposal of an opioid
antagonist to be used in residence halls on the campus of an
institution of higher education under a policy adopted under
Subsection (a). The rules must establish:
(1) the process for each institution of higher
education to check the inventory of opioid antagonists at regular
intervals for expiration and replacement; and
(2) the amount of training required for a resident
advisor to administer an opioid antagonist.
(d) Each institution of higher education that offers
on-campus student housing shall:
(1) include the policy in the institution's student
handbook or similar publication; and
(2) publish the policy on the institution's Internet
website.
(e) The supply of opioid antagonists at a campus must be
stored in a secure location at each residence hall and be easily
accessible to resident advisors authorized and trained to
administer an opioid antagonist.
Sec. 51.893. REPORT ON ADMINISTERING OPIOID ANTAGONIST.
(a) Not later than the 10th business day after the date a resident
advisor administers an opioid antagonist in accordance with a
policy adopted by an institution of higher education under Section
51.892, the institution shall report the information required under
Subsection (b) to the physician who prescribed the opioid
antagonist.
(b) The report required under this section must include the
following information:
(1) the age of the person who received the
administration of the opioid antagonist;
(2) whether the person who received the administration
of the opioid antagonist was a student, employee, or visitor;
(3) the physical location where the opioid antagonist
was administered;
(4) the number of doses of opioid antagonist
administered;
(5) the job title of the employee who administered the
opioid antagonist; and
(6) any other information required by coordinating
board rule.
Sec. 51.894. TRAINING. (a) An institution of higher
education is responsible for training resident advisors in the
administration of an opioid antagonist under the policy adopted by
the institution under Section 51.892.
(b) The training must:
(1) include information on:
(A) recognizing the signs and symptoms of an
opioid-related drug overdose;
(B) administering an opioid antagonist;
(C) implementing emergency procedures, if
necessary, after administering an opioid antagonist;
(D) the required alerting of emergency medical
services during or immediately after the administration of the
opioid antagonist; and
(E) properly disposing of used or expired opioid
antagonists;
(2) be provided to resident advisors, along with any
other mandatory training the institution imposes, in a formal
training session or through online education and be completed
annually; and
(3) provide an opportunity to address frequently asked
questions.
(c) An institution of higher education shall maintain
records on the training provided by the institution under this
section.
Sec. 51.895. PRESCRIPTION OF OPIOID ANTAGONISTS. (a) A
physician may prescribe opioid antagonists in the name of an
institution of higher education. The physician shall provide the
institution with a standing order for the administration of an
opioid antagonist to a person reasonably believed to be
experiencing an opioid-related drug overdose.
(b) The standing order under Subsection (a) is not required
to be patient-specific, and the opioid antagonist may be
administered to a person without an established physician-patient
relationship.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law,
supervision or delegation by a physician is considered adequate if
the physician:
(1) periodically reviews the order; and
(2) is available through direct telecommunication as
needed for consultation, assistance, and direction.
(d) An order issued under this section must contain:
(1) the name and signature of the prescribing
physician;
(2) the name of the institution of higher education to
which the order is issued;
(3) the quantity of opioid antagonists to be obtained
and maintained under the order; and
(4) the date of issue.
(e) A pharmacist may dispense an opioid antagonist to an
institution of higher education for purposes of this subchapter
without requiring the name or any other identifying information
relating to the user.
Sec. 51.896. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. An institution
of higher education may accept gifts, grants, donations, and
federal funds to implement this subchapter.
Sec. 51.897. RULES. In addition to rules required by
Section 51.892, the coordinating board may adopt other rules
necessary to implement this subchapter.
Sec. 51.898. IMMUNITIES. (a) A person who in good faith
takes, or fails to take, any action under this subchapter is immune
from civil or criminal liability or disciplinary action resulting
from that act or failure to act, including:
(1) issuing an order for opioid antagonists;
(2) supervising or delegating the administration of an
opioid antagonist;
(3) possessing an opioid antagonist;
(4) maintaining an opioid antagonist;
(5) storing an opioid antagonist;
(6) disposing of an opioid antagonist;
(7) prescribing an opioid antagonist;
(8) dispensing an opioid antagonist;
(9) administering, or assisting in administering, an
opioid antagonist;
(10) providing, or assisting in providing, training,
consultation, or advice in the development, adoption, or
implementation of policies, guidelines, rules, or plans regarding
the availability and use of an opioid antagonist; or
(11) undertaking any other act permitted or required
under this subchapter.
(b) The immunity provided by Subsection (a) is in addition
to other immunity or limitations of liability provided by law.
(c) Notwithstanding any other law, this subchapter does not
create a civil, criminal, or administrative cause of action or
liability or create a standard of care, obligation, or duty that
provides the basis for a cause of action for an act or omission
under this subchapter.
(d) An institution of higher education is immune from suit
resulting from an act, or failure to act, of any person under this
subchapter, including an act or failure to act under related
policies and procedures.
(e) A cause of action does not arise from an act or omission
described by this section.
(f) A person acting in good faith who reports or requests
emergency medical assistance for a person who is reasonably
believed to be experiencing an opioid-related drug overdose in a
residence hall on campus:
(1) is immune from civil liability, and from criminal
liability for offenses under Section 481.115(b), 481.1151(b)(1),
481.116(b), 481.1161(b)(1), 481.1161(b)(2), 481.117(b),
481.118(b), 481.119(b), 481.121(b)(1), 481.121(b)(2), 481.125(a),
483.041(a), or 485.031(a), Health and Safety Code, that might
otherwise be incurred or imposed as a result of those actions; and
(2) may not be subjected to any disciplinary action by
the institution of higher education at which the person is enrolled
or employed for any violation by the person of the institution's
code of conduct reasonably related to the incident unless
suspension or expulsion from the institution is a possible
punishment.
SECTION 2. Each institution of higher education to which
Subchapter Y-2, Chapter 51, Education Code, as added by this Act,
applies shall implement that subchapter as soon as practicable
after this Act takes effect, but not later than the 2026 fall
semester.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2025.