SB 750 — Establishing Laken's Law

CS for SB 750 WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION IntroducedCommittee Substitute for Senate Bill 750 By Senators Caputo and Woelfel [By Request] [Introduced[Originating Februaryin 12,the 2024;Committee on Education;

referredand then to the Committee on Education]Rules; Intr SB 2024R3747 A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §18-2-30, relating to fentanyl abuse prevention and drug poisoning awareness education in public schools;

andreported establishingFebruary a21, Fentanyl2024] PoisoningCS Awareness Week for gradesSB 6750 throughA 12,BILL to beamend knownthe Code of West Virginia, 1931, as Laken'samended, Law.by adding thereto a new section, designated §18-2-30, relating to Laken’s Law;

requiring each school district to annually provide age-appropriate, research-based instruction related to the dangers posed by the drug fentanyl to students in grades six through 12;

encouraging school districts to provide the instruction during Red Ribbon Week;

specifying topics that the instruction is to include;

specifying who may provide the instruction;

and requiring instruction to begin in the 2024- 2025 school year.

FentanylLaken’s PoisoningLaw; Awareness Week.

(a)requiring Theinstruction staterelated superintendent of schools in cooperation with the Governor shall designate a week to be known as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Week in public schools for students in grades six to 12, to educate students about the dangers posed by the drug fentanyl and the risks of fentanylfentanyl. poisoning, including overdose.

(b)(a) FentanylThis Poisoningsection Awarenessshall Weekbe mayknown include age-appropriate instruction, including instruction on the prevention of the abuse of and addiction to fentanyl, as determined“Laken’s byLaw”. each school district.

(c)(b) Each school district shall annually provide age-appropriate, research-based instruction related to fentanylthe abusedangers preventionposed andby the drug poisoningfentanyl awareness to students in grades six through 12.

(d)School Thedistricts instructionare requiredencouraged byto provide this sectioninstruction shallduring include:Red Ribbon Week.

(1)(c) SuicideThe prevention;instruction required by this section shall include:

(2)(1) FentanylOverdose prevention of the abuse of and addictionfentanyl topoisoning awarenessawareness; of local school and community resources and any processes involved in accessing those resources;

and(2) (3)Prevention Healthof educationthe thatabuse includesof information about substance use and abuse,addiction includingto youthfentanyl; substance use and abuse.

(c)(3) TheAwareness instructionof requiredlocal byschool thisand sectioncommunity mayresources beavailable providedto byaddress anfentanyl entityrelated orissues anand employeeany orprocesses agentinvolved ofin anaccessing entitythose thatresources; is:

(1)and A(4) publicHealth oreducation privatethat institutionincludes ofinformation higherabout education;fentanyl use and abuse, including fentanyl use and abuse by youth.

(2)(d) AThe library;instruction required by this section may be provided by an entity or an employee or agent of an entity that is:

Intr(1) SB 2024R3747 (3) A communitycounty serviceboard organization;of education;

(4)(2) A religiouspublic organization;or private institution of higher education;

(5)(3) A locallibrary; public health agency;

or1 (6)CS Anfor organizationSB employing750 mental(4) healthA professionals.community service organization;

(d)(5) TheA instructionreligious requiredorganization; by this section shall begin in the 2024-2025 school year .

NOTE:(6) A local public health agency;

Theor purpose(7) ofAn thisorganization billemploying ismental tohealth establishprofessionals. a Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Week for grades 6 through 12., to be known as "Laken's Law", relating fentanyl abuse prevention and drug poisoning awareness education in public schools.

Strike-throughs(e) indicateThe languageinstruction thatrequired wouldby bethis strickensection fromshall abegin headingin or the present2024-2.25 lawschool andyear underscoring2 indicates new language that would be added.