What You Should Know about the Overdose Bystander Law
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HB 1694, passed by the 87th Texas Legislature, establishes a defense to prosecution in certain cases for people who call 911 for a possible overdose. This defense is not available for people who have previous convictions under certain drug laws, people who have already used the defense in the past, and people who have called 911 for a possible overdose in the last 18 months.
It is important for people to be informed about what this new Overdose Bystander Law does and doesn’t do, and what they can expect to happen if they call 911 for a possible overdose. In partnership with Texas Coalition for Healthy Minds, we have produced a one-page fact sheet, Overdose Bystander Law: An Overview that tells you what you need to know. Also available in Spanish.
For more information on this issue contact Seth Winick, Director, Texas Coalition for Healthy Minds; director@coalitionhealthyminds.org; 512-470-2233.