If enacted, SB1317 would have significant implications for public health policy and law enforcement practices. It mandates the creation of regional centers of excellence focused on antiracism, which will contribute to the scientific understanding of how racism affects public health outcomes. Additionally, the bill authorizes grants and cooperative agreements for research on policing practices and their public health implications. This legislative action is positioned to lead to better coordinated efforts across federal, state, local, and tribal agencies to comprehensively address the intersection of health and structural racism.
Summary
SB1317, titled the Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2023, aims to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a National Center on Antiracism and Health within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The bill recognizes racism as a public health crisis and outlines a framework for conducting research, developing interventions, and promoting education to address the health impacts of structural racism, particularly in relation to police violence and community health disparities. It seeks to institutionalize antiracist policies and practices, thereby fostering greater equity among racial groups in health and well-being.
Contention
The bill is likely to face debate regarding its potential to reshape public health policy and law enforcement interactions. Proponents argue that it is necessary to understand and address the health disparities caused by racism and police violence, while critics may raise concerns about the funding of such initiatives and the implications of declaring racism as a public health crisis. Discussions surrounding data collection and analysis will be crucial, as ensuring the privacy of individuals whose information is utilized will need careful consideration to maintain ethical standards in research and data reporting.
Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act or the HALT Fentanyl Act This bill places fentanyl-related substances as a class into schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. A schedule I controlled substance is a drug, substance, or chemical that has a high potential for abuse; has no currently accepted medical value; and is subject to regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Act. Additionally, the bill establishes a new, alternative registration process for schedule I research that is funded by the Department of Health and Human Services or the Department of Veterans Affairs or that is conducted under an investigative new drug exemption from the Food and Drug Administration. The bill also makes several other changes to registration requirements for conducting research with controlled substances, including permitting a single registration for related research sites in certain circumstances, waiving the requirement for a new inspection in certain situations, and allowing a registered researcher to perform certain manufacturing activities with small quantities of a substance without obtaining a manufacturing registration.