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A1693
ASSEMBLY, No. 1693
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblywoman AURA K. DUNN
District 25 (Morris and Passaic)
Assemblyman CLINTON CALABRESE
District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblyman WILLIAM W. SPEARMAN
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
Assemblyman ANTHONY S. VERRELLI
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen Karabinchak, Freiman, Assemblywoman Murphy,
Assemblyman Danielsen, Assemblywomen Speight and Carter
SYNOPSIS
���� Requires institutions of higher education to maintain
supply and develop policy governing use of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray
for opioid overdose emergencies.
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 through
a standing order issued pursuant to 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
campus 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 Human Services and the Secretary of
Higher Education.
���� b.��� An institution of higher
education shall develop a policy concerning the emergency administration of
naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for opioid overdose emergencies occurring on
campus.� 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 on
campus;
���� (2)�� permit a licensed campus
medical professional to designate members of the higher education community
including, but not limited to, resident assistants, emergency responders,
campus security officers, and licensed athletic trainers to administer naloxone
hydrochloride nasal spray to any person whom the member in good faith believes
is experiencing an opioid overdose on campus; 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 member of the higher
education community 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 pursuant to
subsection b. of section 3 of this act.
���� d. In the event that a
licensed athletic trainer, who is designated pursuant to this section to
administer naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray, administers the spray, it shall
not constitute a violation of the "Athletic Training Licensure Act," P.L.1984,
c.203
(C.45:9-37.35 et seq.).
���� 3.��� a.� The Secretary of
Higher Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Human Services 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 subsection b.
of section 2 of this act.
���� b.��� The guidelines shall
include a requirement that a licensed campus medical professional and members
of the higher education community 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 on campus.
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.��� A licensed campus
medical professional, member of the higher education community designated to
administer naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray pursuant to subsection b. of
section 2 of this act, pharmacist, or an authorized health care practitioner
who issues a standing order for naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray to an
institution of higher education shall not 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 designated members of the higher education community.
���� Under the bill, 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 campus to
respond to an opioid overdose emergency.� Institutions also would be required
to develop a policy concerning the emergency administration of naloxone
hydrochloride nasal spray for opioid overdose emergencies occurring on campus.�
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 on campus; (2)
permit a licensed campus medical professional to designate members of the
higher education community to administer naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray to
any person whom the member in good faith believes is experiencing an opioid
overdose on campus; 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 member of the higher education community
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 Human
Services 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 substitute.� Specifically, the guidelines would include a
requirement that a licensed campus medical professional and members of the
higher education community 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 on campus. 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, designated members of
the higher education community, 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.� The bill also provides that in the
event that a licensed athletic trainer, who is designated to administer
naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray, administers the spray, it will not
constitute a violation of the "Athletic Training Licensure Act.�