Combatting Fentanyl Poisonings Act

Summary#

This bill adds a new section (section 509) to the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. It creates three grant programs run by the Department of Justice (through the Bureau of Justice Assistance) and developed with input from the Department of Health and Human Services.

  1. Grants to prevent the sale of controlled substances on social media platforms: state and local law enforcement can receive money to plan, design, or run local programs that fight unlawful online sales, including programs that prioritize arresting people who sell drugs on social media and that provide education and training to school staff, clinicians, parents, and the public.

  2. Grants to increase public awareness about the dangers of fentanyl: nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3) groups) can get grants to run public education campaigns about fentanyl. Allowed uses include paying travel for family members who died from fentanyl to speak at events, producing educational materials (documentaries, pamphlets, books, infographics), offering counseling or mentorship to people who lost someone, and providing naloxone or training on overdose reversal. These grants may not be used to buy most harm reduction supplies (for example, test kits, syringes, safer smoking kits), except they may buy naloxone and naloxone training. The maximum amount for a grant under this part is $50,000.

  3. Grants to protect law enforcement officers from fentanyl exposure: state and local law enforcement can get funds to buy and distribute equipment and training for fentanyl testing, detection, and overdose reversal. The bill lists examples of allowed equipment, including fentanyl test strips, field-portable ion mobility spectrometers, naloxone, and naloxone administration supplies, and allows training on how to use that equipment.

The bill also amends how certain grant funds are reserved. It sets aside $10,000,000 for the social media enforcement grants (509(a)), $3,000,000 for the nonprofit public awareness grants (509(b)), and $2,000,000 for the law enforcement protection grants (509(c)). The bill was introduced in the House and referred to the Judiciary Committee.

What it means for you#

  • Law enforcement agencies: You may be able to apply for grants to set up programs targeting illegal sales on social media and to buy testing/detection equipment and naloxone and receive training.
  • Nonprofit groups: 501(c)(3) organizations can apply for public education grants, but each grant is limited to a maximum of $50,000 and may not buy most harm reduction supplies (with the exception of naloxone and related training).
  • School staff, clinicians, parents, and the public: The bill funds education and training resources that may be offered to you about the risks of fentanyl and how to respond to overdoses.
  • Families of people who died from fentanyl: Grants may cover travel costs to speak at public events funded by the awareness grants.

Expenses#

  • The bill reserves $10,000,000 for grants under section 509(a) (social media enforcement).
  • It reserves $3,000,000 for grants under section 509(b) (nonprofit public awareness).
  • It reserves $2,000,000 for grants under section 509(c) (law enforcement protection).
  • The maximum amount of an individual grant under the nonprofit public awareness program is $50,000.
  • No publicly available information about other estimated federal costs or long-term budget effects beyond these reserved amounts.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.