Opioid overdose reversal medication: school resource officers.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on consequences for failing to complete training, funding specifics, or additional expenses faced by entities implementing this law.

Opioid Overdose Reversal Medication for School Resource Officers

This law requires school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to provide opioid overdose reversal medication and training to school resource officers starting in the 2027-28 school year.

What This Bill Does

• Requires school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to ensure that school resource officers carry opioid antagonist medications while on duty at school campuses or during school activities.
• Requiring each school resource officer to complete opioid overdose recognition and response training upon assignment to a school site and every two years after.
• Necessitates annual reporting by school resource officers to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training about how often they use opioid antagonists in emergencies.
• Protects school resource officers from civil liability or criminal prosecution when administering opioid antagonist medications unless there is gross negligence or willful misconduct.
• Requires state agencies to provide guidance for local educational and law enforcement agencies on accessing low-cost or no-cost opioid antagonists.

Who It Names or Affects

• School districts, county offices of education, and charter schools
• School resource officers

Terms To Know

Opioid antagonist

A medication used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

Gross negligence

Very serious carelessness or disregard for safety that causes harm.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if a school resource officer fails to complete the required training.
• It is unclear how much funding will be provided by the state to cover the costs of implementing this law.
• School districts and other entities may face additional expenses due to new requirements.

Official Summary Text

AB 1586, as amended, Ramos.
Opioid overdose reversal medication: school resource officers.
(1)
Existing
Existing
law authorizes a school district, county office of education, and charter school to provide emergency naloxone hydrochloride or another opioid antagonist to school nurses and trained personnel who have volunteered, and authorizes school nurses and trained personnel to use naloxone hydrochloride or another opioid antagonist to provide emergency medical aid to persons suffering, or reasonably believed to be suffering, from an opioid overdose.
This bill, to be known as the School Safety and Opioid Overdose Prevention Act,
and commencing with the 2027–28 school year,
would require a
school district, county office of education, or charter school to ensure that (A) each
school resource officer, as defined,
while on duty at a school campus or school-sponsored activity, carries an opioid antagonist to provide emergency treatment to persons who are suffering, or
reasonably believed to be suffering, from an opioid overdose and (B) each school resource officer,
to (1)
upon assignment to a schoolsite, and at least every 2 years thereafter,
completes
complete
an opioid overdose recognition and response training, as
specified. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
specified, and (2) annually report to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, among other things, the number of times the school resource officer
administered an opioid antagonist while serving at a schoolsite.
The bill would prohibit a school resource officer who administers an opioid antagonist while assigned to a schoolsite, and their employing or contracting entity, from being held liable in a civil action or being subject to criminal prosecution for the school resource officer’s acts or omissions, unless those acts or omissions constitute gross negligence or willful and wanton misconduct, as provided.
The bill would require the State Department of Health Care Services, in consultation with the State Department of Education and the
Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training,
commission,
to provide implementation guidance to local educational agencies and law enforcement agencies on
accessing opioid antagonists at low or no cost and integrating overdose response into school safety planning.
The bill would require the commission, on or before January 1, 2031, and in cooperation with the State Department of Public Health, as needed, to submit a report to the Legislature with the information annually reported by school resource officers.
(2)
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF