Governor Ron DeSantis signs legislation to protect law enforcement officers from fentanyl exposure; expands CORE network in Florida
Press release from the Office of Governor Ron DeSantis
SANFORD, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation to increase penalties on individuals who expose law enforcement officers to fentanyl and to bring awareness to life-saving measures for someone experiencing an opioid overdose. Governor DeSantis also announced an expansion of the Coordinated Opioid Response (CORE) network from 12 counties to 29.
“Because of the Biden administration’s unwillingness to secure the southern border, law enforcement officers are encountering fentanyl at alarming rates,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “I’m signing legislation today to keep officers safe on the job and to further combat the opioid epidemic.”
“Opioid addiction has been a scourge in the lives of too many Floridians and too many Americans around the country,” said State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo. “Thanks to Governor DeSantis and the support of our legislators, we are continuing to take steps to address this human tragedy. CORE’s expansion will support and treat more Floridians and serve as a model for states around the country.”
“CORE’s holistic approach to combating the opioid epidemic has resulted in unprecedented results for Floridians battling addiction,” said Department of Children and Families Secretary Shevaun Harris. “Florida is grateful for the Governor and First Lady’s innovative leadership, and the Department looks forward to continuing to work with partners and key stakeholders to support families on their path to recovery and resiliency.”
Governor Ron DeSantis signed SB 718 and SB 66 into law.
SB 718 does the following:
- Creates a second-degree felony for any adult who, through unlawful possession of dangerous fentanyl or fentanyl products, recklessly exposes any first responder to such fentanyl and that results in overdose or serious bodily injury.
- Expands protections from prosecution for individuals who seek help in good faith due to the belief that they or someone they know is experiencing an overdose.
SB 66 does the following:
- Designates June 6th as Revive Awareness Day.
- Directs the Florida Department of Health to raise awareness of the dangers of opioid overdose and the safe use of opioid counteractants.
Governor DeSantis also announced that CORE has expanded from 12 counties to 17 additional counties in Florida. This includes Bay, Broward, Collier, Hernando, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Leon, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okaloosa, Orange, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, and St. Lucie counties.
While nationwide statistics show that only 18.8% of adults with an opioid addiction have received medication to treat the addiction in the past year, CORE far exceeded the national average with 48.9% of patients receiving Medication Assisted Treatment. CORE providers have responded to nearly 18,000 emergency calls that resulted in a life saved through the administration of naloxone.
With the launch of CORE, Florida has also seen a reduction in the number of emergency medical service responses necessary for drug overdose. Recent state level data shows 607 fewer EMS responses to suspected overdoses—a 3% decrease since 2022. From January to June in 2023, CORE counties Duval and Escambia saw a drop of 176 and 146 EMS calls, respectively, for suspected opioid overdose from the same period in 2022. Pinellas County, another CORE county, had 406 fewer emergency medical service responses during the same time frame. This was the largest reduction in emergency medical service responses to suspected overdoses across the 12 CORE counties.
Thanks to programs like CORE, overdose deaths are on the decline in Florida. Data shows a 9% decrease—557 fewer deaths—from September 2022 to September 2023, compared to the previous year’s statewide count.
That would be Trump – lock him up – who just directed his gonad-less GOP US House members to kill the GOP written border security bill Biden was waiting to sign. It had funding for fentanyl detecting equipment at our borders.
You know his address, right Ron?
“Customs and Border Protection has spent millions on the most up-to-date high-tech scanners to spot fentanyl crossing the southern U.S. border, but many scanners are sitting in warehouses unused because Congress hasn’t appropriated funds to install them, acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller told NBC News….
…But some of the equipment that has been purchased hasn’t yet been put into use, because Congress hasn’t allocated the funding needed to install it. The money to install the screeners was in the supplemental funding request Republicans blocked.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/border-fentanyl-scanners-unused-congress-provided-no-money-rcna141432
Hahahaaa, you assume that the trafficked drugs are coming across the border by being driven through legal entry points. Another fool who can’t see the big picture. Maybe take the hand holder agents that have been assigned to coddling the illegals and have them do the real work they should be doing. Quit squandering allocated funds on accommodations and send the illegals back to where they came which frees up CBP agents to do their real jobs!!
For someone who seems to think that if all fentanyl does not come at legal checkpoints there is no need to monitor them as best we can, I think you’re demonstrating perfectly “another fool who can’t see the big picture”. Part of that big picture, Dummy, is that the border bill Trump killed – he admitted he killed it – was more hearing agents so that asylum seekers could be sent back quickly rather than waiting in country 6 months for a hearing. Of course there was also money for more border agents, who’s union by the way – which endorsed Trump in 2020 – endorsed the bill, making enforcement more effective on the border.
Let me know if you need more schooling Dummy – well. clearly you do.
Biden up ended every border policy that was place starting in Jan 2020. He ran on that promise and told the world the border was open. Do you not remember all tge trespassers wearing white Biden shirts. Drugs are pouring into this country through legal entry points as well as anywhere they can sneak it in. The border patrol does not gave time to learn and use drug interdiction monitors at the border because their duties gave been directed to processing people. Ask Dementia Joe ” listen folks, no joke, it’s true” the only way to keep these trespassers out is doing what Texas is doing now. They have slowed illegal entry to a trickle in Texas. All the illegals are not pouring through New Mexico and further west. Look at the boats landing in California. Why hasn’t Joey directed the Coast Guard to stop these boats from beaching, why hasn’t Gov. “LOOSESOME” direct CA. DNR to stop this. They don’t want too. Ffeentanyl is being made by cartels and shipped across the Biden induced Leaky border (both southern and northern) with no end in sight. All Gov Ron is trying to do is protect cops.
Dude, educate yourself.
Many of the things Trump was doing were stopped by judges and the GOP leadership asked for legislation like the one Trump just killed, when he was still in power. From technology, to border agents, to hearing officers, and changes to the law giving whoever is president more power, the legislation helps on all thoise fronts. It is primarily a GOP bill written by the very conservative senator from Oklahoma and contains none of the previous “issues” democrats wanted addressed “like dreamers”.
Trump preferred keeping the issue as campaign fodder for low info voters like you to actually doing something about the problems. It’s his border crisis now. He wanted it, he’s got it.