House Bill 783 – Opioid Abatement, sponsored by Florida State Representative Jervonte Edmonds (D-West Palm Beach), was into signed into law by the governor earlier this month and will go into effect on July 1, 2023.
The bill creates the Statewide Council on Opioid Abatement within the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to enhance the development and coordination of state and local efforts to abate the opioid epidemic and to support the victims of the opioid crisis. The bill also requires each Florida College System institution and state university to have a supply of emergency opioid antagonists in clearly marked locations within residence halls, establishes guidance for such supplies, as well as provides civil and criminal immunity to campus law enforcement officers who administer or attempt to administer an emergency opioid antagonist.
“I thank my colleagues in the Florida House and Senate for their support in passing this important legislation,” said Representative Edmonds. “Together, we are taking concrete steps toward preventing opioid overdose-related deaths among Floridians and ensuring a healthier future for our state.”
