Bill Protecting 911 Callers During Overdoses Signed into Law

PROVIDENCE, RI—With the stroke of a pen, people in Rhode Island who are in the presence of someone overdosing on drugs can now call 911 without fear of being arrested.

Governor Gina Raimondo today signed into law The Good Samaritan Act of 2016, which gives immunity against arrest to individuals who call for medical assistance when someone is suffering from an overdose.

The signing ceremony was held at the Anchor Recovery Community Center in Pawtucket, a place where people suffering from addiction can turn when they are searching for a thread to hang on to.

A place where someone might meet Jonathon Goyer, a recovery advocate who has lost a brother and father to overdoses.

Goyer, who started using drugs at 12, overdosed in 2013 but was saved with a shot of Naloxone, a lifesaving drug that can stop and reverse overdose symptoms.

“With the passage of this bill, no one has to think twice about making the 911 call,” he said. “More importantly, it validates the important fact that every life is worth saving.”

The purpose of the legislation is to remove barriers that stand in the way of someone calling 911.

“Drug overdose is a public health crisis that cuts across every community in Rhode Island,” Raimondo said. “I applaud the General Assembly for passing these bills quickly. Their focus reflects my top priority on this issue: Save lives. By removing barriers to contacting emergency services during overdose situations, this law is an important part of our efforts to reduce opioid overdose deaths and help more people make it in Rhode Island.”

In her remarks, Raimondo said that she will work with the General Assembly to secure funding for overdose prevention, treatment and recovery support.

She also announced $40,000 in Google settlement funds will be used by state and local police to buy Naloxone, the lifesaving drug that can reverse overdose symptoms and has already been credited with saving scores of lives since departments began equipping officers last year.

“First and foremost, we’re concerned with saving lives. If someone knows that calling 911 is probably going to result in their going to jail, they’re going to be very hesitant to do it. Nobody benefits from that situation,” said Senator McCaffrey, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “The enforcement of drug laws matters, but for real public safety, saving lives has to come first. No one should be afraid to make a phone call to save a life.”

The law provides immunity from some drug charges and for related probation or parole violations for prior convictions.

Rhode Island had more opoid-related deaths per capita last year than any other state.

A task force formed to address the rampant opioid crisis in Rhode Island, the Overdose Prevention and Intervention Task Force, delivered a strategic plan to the Governor in December and the Good Samaritan law was part of its list of recommendations.

The General Assembly passed House and Senate versions of the legislation in the opening moments of the 2016 legislative session.

Bill sponsors Representative Robert E. Craven, Sr. and Senator Michael J. McCaffrey were on hand for the signing ceremony.

Saving a life is much more important than a drug arrest. Ultimately, nothing should ever discourage someone from trying to provide assistance to someone who is dying,” Craven, of North Kingstown and chairman of the House Municipal Government Committee, said.

Photo by Laura Bushell