AB 2150 would require employees who maintain CPR certification for their jobs to also receive training on how to recognize an opioid overdose and administer Narcan.
SACRAMENTO, CA — Assemblymember Matt Haney’s (D-San Francisco) bill to train more Californians to prevent fatal opioid overdoses has passed the Legislature with a vote of 31-0, and is now headed to Governor Newsom’s desk where it awaits a signature.
AB 2150 would require employees who maintain CPR certification for their jobs to also complete training on how to recognize an opioid overdose and administer naloxone, commonly known as Narcan. The bill builds on California’s requirement that workplaces keep naloxone in first aid kits by ensuring more people know how to use the lifesaving medication when an overdose occurs.
“Too many Californians are dying from overdoses that could have been prevented,” said Assemblymember Haney. “Fentanyl is everywhere, and in a matter of minutes, a mistake can turn deadly. We already train thousands of people in CPR so they know how to save a life in an emergency – this bill makes sure they also know how to spot an overdose and use Narcan. If someone collapses in front of you, you shouldn’t have to wait helplessly for an ambulance to arrive. AB 2150 gives more people the tools to step in and save a life right then and there.”
More than 40% of opioid overdose deaths occur with bystanders present. By expanding training to CPR-certified employees, AB 2150 would give more Californians the skills to intervene during the critical minutes before emergency responders arrive.
“The punishment for drug use should never be death. Fentanyl has turned accidental overdose into a death sentence for too many Californians, not because help was out of reach, but because the people nearby did not know how to act. More than 40% of opioid overdose deaths happen with bystanders present who want to intervene and simply do not know how. Naloxone works. It reverses overdoses in the vast majority of cases,” said Robb Layne, Executive Director, California Association of Alcohol and Drug Program Executives (CAADPE). “AB 2150 makes sure more Californians know how to use it, particularly in underserved communities where fewer resources already mean lower chances of survival. CAADPE is proud to sponsor this legislation because our members see it every day: recovery is possible, intervention saves lives, and no one should die from a mistake that could have been prevented.”
“Tens of thousands of people in the United States die from a suspected opioid overdose annually – and in response to this growing number, the Red Cross created its First Aid for Opioid Overdoses training course. These trainings ensure that community members are trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose, understand appropriate care to provide based on the person's breathing and level of responsiveness, and administer naloxone using several different products to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose,” said Arianna Nassiri with the Red Cross. “AB 2150 ensures that more Californians are equipped with the life-saving knowledge from this course, which works to improve health outcomes, reduce emergency response wait times, and equip bystanders with the ability to effectively assess overdose emergencies.”
AB 2150 now heads to Governor Newsom for his signature.
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