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*hb0222*
HOUSE BILL 222
F1, F2 6lr0685
HB 852/25 – W&M & APP (PRE–FILED)
By: Delegate Vogel
Requested: August 13, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Ways and Means and Appropriations
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 4, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Educational Institutions County Boards of Education – Opioid 2
Overdose–Reversing Medications – Policy Requirements 3
(Naloxone Access Act) 4
FOR the purpose of requiring the State Board of Education to update a certain drug 5
addiction and prevention education program to include information on the 6
mitigating effects of naloxone or other opioid overdose –reversing medication; 7
requiring each county board of education and certain institutions of higher education 8
to update certain policies to include information on authorized possession of naloxone 9
or other opioid overdose –reversing medication by certain individuals high school 10
students and immunity from liability; altering the list of individuals who may 11
administer certain medication under a certain policy; and generally relating to 12
programs and policies on naloxone and othe r opioid overdose–reversing medication 13
by educational institutions county boards of education. 14
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 15
Article – Education 16
Section 7–411 and 7–426.5 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 19
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 20
Article – Education 21
Section 11–1201 22
2 HOUSE BILL 222
Annotated Code of Maryland 1
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 2
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 3
Article – Education 4
Section 11–1202 through 11–1204 5
Annotated Code of Maryland 6
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 7
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 8
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 9
Article – Education 10
7–411. 11
(a) The State Board shall develop and implement a program of drug addiction and 12
prevention education in the public schools. 13
(b) (1) Except as provided in subsection (c)(2) of this section, this program shall 14
be started before the sixth grade in each public school by teachers who are trained in the 15
field of drug education. 16
(2) The State Board shall establish standards for determining how a 17
teacher is considered to be “trained in the field of drug addiction and prevention education” 18
for the purposes of this section. 19
(c) (1) The program shall include instruction related to heroin and opioid 20
addiction and prevention, including information relating to the lethal effect of fentanyl AND 21
THE MITIGATING EFFECTS OF NALOXONE OR OTHER OPIOID OVERDOSE–REVERSING 22
MEDICATIONS. 23
(2) The instruction required under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall 24
be: 25
(i) Delivered in grade bands as follows: 26
1. Third grade through fifth grade; 27
2. Sixth grade through eighth grade; and 28
3. Ninth grade through twelfth grade; and 29
(ii) A stand–alone unit in the program. 30
(d) This program shall be coordinated with other State agencies that are 31
responsible for drug abuse education and control. 32
HOUSE BILL 222 3
7–426.5. 1
(a) Each county board shall establish a policy in accordance with school health 2
guidelines and State laws and regulations for public schools within its jurisdiction to 3
authorize [the school nurse, school health services personnel, and other school personnel] 4
AN INDIVIDUAL ACTING IN GOOD FAITH , AND A HIGH SCHOOL ST UDENT IN 5
ACCORDANCE WITH SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION to administer naloxone or other 6
OPIOID overdose–reversing medication to a student or other person located on school 7
property who is reasonably believed to be experiencing an opioid overdose. 8
(b) (1) The policy established under subsection (a) of this section shall include: 9
(1) (I) A provision requiring all public schools to obtain and store at the 10
public school naloxone or other OPIOID overdose–reversing medication to be used in an 11
emergency situation; [and] 12
(2) (II) A requirement that each public school develop and implement a 13
method for notifying the parents or guardians of students of the school’s policy under this 14
section at the beginning of each school year; AND 15
(3) (III) AUTHORIZATION FOR A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, A MEMBER 16
OF THE SCHOOL’S STAFF, OR ANY LAWFULLY PRESENT INDIVIDUAL AT THE SCHOOL 17
OR A SCHOOL –SPONSORED EVENT OR A CTIVITY WHO HAS RECEIVED TRA INING ON 18
THE APPROPRIATE U SE OF NALOXONE OR OT HER OPIOID OVERDOSE –REVERSING 19
MEDICATION TO POSSESS NALOXONE OR OTHER OPIOID OVER DOSE–REVERSING 20
MEDICATION. 21
(2) THE POLICY ESTABLISHE D UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS 22
SECTION MAY INCLUDE A RECORD OF STUDENTS WHO INTEND TO POSSES S 23
NALOXONE OR OTHER OPIOID OVERDOSE–REVERSING MEDICATION AND WHETHER 24
THOSE STUDENTS HAVE RECEIVED APPROPRIATE TRAINING. 25
(c) Except for any willful or grossly negligent act, any [of the following individuals 26
who respond] INDIVIDUAL WHO RESPONDS in good faith to the overdose emergency of a 27
student, A SCHOOL STAFF MEMBER, OR ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL LAWFULLY PRESENT 28
AT A SCHOOL in accordance with this section may not be held personally liable for any act 29
or omission in the course of responding to the emergency[: 30
(1) A school nurse; 31
(2) Other school health services personnel who are licensed or certified to 32
practice a health occupation under the Health Occupations Article; or 33
(3) Other school personnel; OR 34
4 HOUSE BILL 222
(4) A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WHO HAS RECEIVED TRAINING ON THE 1
APPROPRIATE USE OF N ALOXONE OR OTHER OPI OID OVERDOSE –REVERSING 2
MEDICATION]. 3
(d) (1) The county board or the local health department shall, by local 4
agreement: 5
(i) Hire a sufficient number of either county or regional community 6
action officials; or 7
(ii) Develop and implement a program that provides the community 8
relations and education functions required to be conducted by community action officials in 9
paragraph (2) of this subsection. 10
(2) A county or regional community action official shall: 11
(i) Coordinate school–based community forums, in cooperation with 12
local law enforcement officials; and 13
(ii) Conduct public relations efforts that include the following: 14
1. Parent contact; 15
2. Electronic media; and 16
3. Public service announcements. 17
[(e) (1) For fiscal year 2019, the Governor shall include an appropriation of at 18
least $3,000,000 in general funds in the State budget for the Department for the purpose 19
of awarding grants to county boards to implement the policy and conduct the training 20
required under this section. 21
(2) The Department shall disburse the grants authorized under paragraph 22
(1) of this subsection based on the enrollment count of students in public schools in the 23
State for the prior fiscal year.] 24
[(f)] (E) (1) On or before October 1 each year, each public school shall submit, 25
on the form that the Department requires, a report to the Department on each incident at 26
the school that required the use of naloxone or other OPIOID overdose–reversing 27
medication. 28
(2) The Department shall develop and disseminate a standard form to 29
report each incident requiring the use of naloxone or other OPIOID overdose–reversing 30
medication at a public school. 31
HOUSE BILL 222 5
[(3) On or before December 1, 2018, December 1, 2019, and December 1, 1
2020, the Department shall report the information provided under paragraph (1) of this 2
subsection to the General Assembly in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State Government 3
Article.] 4
11–1201. 5
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, this subtitle applies only 6
to institutions of higher education in the State that receive operating or capital funding 7
from the State. 8
(b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, this subtitle does 9
not apply to: 10
(i) The University of Maryland Global Campus; 11
(ii) The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science; 12
or 13
(iii) An off–campus nonresidential location of an institution of higher 14
education. 15
(2) Each institution described under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall 16
provide all students with resources that alert and educate the students regarding heroin 17
and opioid addiction and prevention. 18
11–1202. 19
(a) Each institution of higher education shall establish a policy that addresses 20
heroin and opioid addiction and prevention. 21
(b) [The] SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION , THE policy 22
established under this subtitle shall require each institution to: 23
(1) Require incoming full –time students to participate in an in –person 24
heroin and opioid addiction and prevention awareness training, unless in–person training 25
is impracticable, then to participate in an electronic heroin and opioid addiction and 26
prevention awareness training; 27
(2) Provide incoming part –time students with resources th at alert and 28
educate the students regarding heroin and opioid addiction and prevention; and 29
(3) Obtain and store at the institution naloxone or other OPIOID 30
overdose–reversing medication to be used in an emergency situation. 31
6 HOUSE BILL 222
(C) ANY TRAINING PROVIDED UNDER THE POLICY EST ABLISHED UNDER 1
SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION SHAL L INCLUDE INFORMATIO N ON THE 2
MITIGATING EFFECTS O F NALOXONE OR OTHER OPIOID OVERDOSE –REVERSING 3
MEDICATION. 4
11–1203. 5
(a) The policy established under this subtitle shall include: 6
(1) Training for campus police or other designated personnel on how to 7
recognize the symptoms of an opioid overdose; 8
(2) Procedures for the administration of naloxone or other OPIOID 9
overdose–reversing medications; [and] 10
(3) The proper follow–up emergency procedures; AND 11
(4) AUTHORIZATION FOR A S TUDENT, A MEMBER OF THE 12
INSTITUTION’S STAFF , OR ANY LAWFULLY PRES ENT INDIVIDUAL AT TH E 13
INSTITUTION TO POSSE SS NALOXONE OR OTHER OPIOID OVERDOSE –REVERSING 14
MEDICATION. 15
(b) Except for any willful or grossly n egligent act, [campus police or other 16
designated personnel who have been trained under subsection (a)(1) of this section and who 17
respond] ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO RESPONDS in good faith to the overdose emergency of a 18
student, A STAFF MEMBER , OR ANY OTHER INDIVID UAL LAWFULLY PRESENT in 19
accordance with this section may not be held personally liable for any act or omission in the 20
course of responding to the emergency. 21
11–1204. 22
[(a)] On or before October 1 each year, each institution of higher education shall 23
report to the Commission on each incident at the institution that required the use of 24
naloxone or other OPIOID overdose–reversing medication. 25
[(b) On or before December 1, 2018, December 1, 2019, and December 1, 2020, the 26
Commission shall report the information provided under subsection (a) of this section to 27
the General Assembly in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article.] 28
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 29
1, 2026. 30