Researcher: ND Page 1 3/25/24
OLR Bill Analysis
sHB 5291
AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S
RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING IMPROVED OPIOID
MONITORING.
SUMMARY
This bill requires hospitals that treat a patient for a nonfatal opioid
drug overdose to administer a toxicology screening if it is medically
appropriate and the patient consents to it. At a minimum, the screening
must test for opiates, opioids, benzodiazepines, cannabinoids,
methadone, cocaine, gabapentin, xylazine, and other substances the
Department of Public Health (DPH) commissioner deems appropriate.
Hospitals must perform the toxicology screenings for a three-and-a-
half-year period, from January 1, 2025, to August 1, 2028, and report the
screening results to DPH as the commissioner prescribes.
Additionally, the bill requires the DPH commissioner, by January 1,
2026, and annually afterwards until January 1, 2029, to report to the
Public Health Committee on the toxicology screening results they
receive. The report must (1) identify and analyze any trends, (2) identity
any benefits patients experienced when seeking emergency department
care for their overdose, and (3) recommend whether hospitals should
continue toxicology screening reporting after August 31, 2028.
Under the bill, the toxicology screening results hospitals report to
DPH generally (1) are confidential and not subject to disclosure, (2) are
not admissible as evidence in any court or agency proceeding, and (3)
must be used solely for medical or scientific research or disease control
or prevention purposes.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2024
2024HB-05291-R000105-BA.DOCX
Researcher: ND Page 2 3/25/24
BACKGROUND
Reporting Opioid Drug Overdoses
By law, any hospital or emergency medical services (EMS) personnel
that treat a patient for an opioid overdose must report the overdose to
DPH. The department must then provide the data to the municipal or
district health department that has jurisdiction over the overdose
location, or, if that location is unknown, the location in which the
hospital or EMS personnel treated the patient, as DPH in its discretion
deems necessary to develop preventive initiatives.
In addition, the law requires hospitals that treat patients for nonfatal
opioid drug overdoses to administer mental health screenings or patient
assessments if it is medically appropriate to do so (CGS ยง 19a-127q).
COMMITTEE ACTION
Public Health Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 37 Nay 0 (03/11/2024)