Boy’s HB 1376 passes out of the House of Representatives

Today, Feb. 18, State Rep. Pat Boy’s (D-Michigan City) House Bill 1376 passed on third reading in the House of Representatives.

This bill changes the definition of "emergency medication" in the Indiana Code. It expands access to life-saving medication in schools by clarifying that "a federal Food and Drug Administration approved opioid overdose reversal medication" can be made available in schools rather than only naloxone. This would expand the state's recognition of opioid reversal drugs.

Boy released the following statement on the bill's passage:

"In 2022, the DEA reported nearly 75,000 deaths as a result of opioid overdoses in our country. This is a crisis that needs to be addressed at the highest levels. House Bill 1376 expands the definition of 'emergency medications' to include all drugs that could potentially provide life-saving treatment in the event of an opioid overdose. While this is a great step forward, more work needs to be done on this issue."

"These medications need to be more readily available," Boy continued. "The lives of too many Hoosiers hang in the balance. I am hopeful that the step we took today will lead to more conversations about what we can do to help people battling addiction in our state. I am absolutely committed to finding solutions that will end the needless loss of life caused by opioid overdoses in Indiana."

House Bill 1376 now moves to the Senate for further consideration.