Known as Tyler's Law in memory of a teen who overdosed, Senate Bill (SB) 864, Sen. Melissa Melendez's fentanyl testing bill, has been passed unanimously in the Senate Health Committee.
The bill requires hospitals to conduct a urine sample for patients that screens for fentanyl in order to speed a diagnosis that could save lives, a recent news release on the senator's website said.
"Hospitals need better tools for adequate testing to properly diagnose and treat fentanyl overdoses and drug addictions," Melendez (R-Lake Elsinore) said in the release. "Today's unanimous support of SB 864 ensures California stays ahead of the curve as we try and address the growing tsunami of new and dangerous drugs entering our communities and to ultimately save lives."
In addition to Tyler's Law, Melendez has authored several other bills dealing with the fentanyl crisis, the release said. The bills include SB 992, which "requires the California Department of Public Health to establish regulations and standards for licensure of substance abuse disorder counselors"; along with "Alexandra's Law" (SB 1350), which requires that a person convicted of drug-related crimes be warned that their actions could lead to another person's death and bring about a homicide charge.
SB 864 is also known as "Tyler's Law" in memory of Tyler Shamash, a 19-year-old who overdosed in 2018 following a prolonged addiction battle. In an interview last May with The Orange County Register, Juli Shamash, Tyler's mother, revealed a "reform wish list" that included requiring hospitals to test potential overdose victims for fentanyl, an early idea for the recently passed SB 864.