WASHINGTON
Padilla, Banks introduce bipartisan Tyler’s Law to fight fentanyl crisis
U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.) introduced Tyler’s Law, bipartisan, bicameral legislation to help combat the fentanyl crisis. The bill directs the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide hospitals with guidance on incorporating fentanyl testing into routine emergency room drug screenings.
The legislation is named after Tyler Shamash, a Los Angeles teenager who died from a fentanyl poisoning a day after doctors failed to test for the drug when he was admitted to the emergency room. Following Tyler’s tragic passing, California became the first state to pass Tyler’s Law in 2022. Representatives Ted Lieu (D-Calif.-36), Bob Latta (R-Ohio-05), and Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.-37) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
“The fentanyl crisis isn’t just a public health emergency — it’s a matter of life and death for communities in California and across the country,” said Senator Padilla. “Far too many people, including children, have tragically died from fentanyl overdoses, including Tyler Shamash, a Los Angeles teenager whose hospital screening tests failed to detect the drug in his system. Our bipartisan legislation honors Tyler’s memory by bringing California’s updated standard of including fentanyl in emergency room screenings to the federal level. Even one preventable death is too many.”
“Illicit fentanyl and its analogs have claimed countless American lives, and we must continue to do everything we can to curb this deadly epidemic. That’s why I’m proud to introduce Tyler’s Law, which will help us better understand fentanyl overdoses and the fentanyl overdose testing shortfalls occurring in hospital emergency rooms. I urge my colleagues in the House and Senate to support this vital, bipartisan legislation which will help save lives,” said Representative Latta.
“No one should ever experience the heartbreak of losing a loved one to a fentanyl overdose, nor should anyone have to question whether that death could have been prevented. In 2018, my constituent, Tyler Shamash, tragically lost his life to an overdose because fentanyl was not included in the emergency room’s drug screening. Tyler’s Law aims to save countless lives by ensuring that overdose victims can receive critical care before it’s too late. I am deeply grateful to have met Tyler’s mother, Juli, whose strength and tireless advocacy led to California’s requirement for emergency rooms to include fentanyl in their drug screenings. Now, we must take the next step and make fentanyl testing a nationwide standard by passing this lifesaving legislation,” said Representative Kamlager-Dove.
“Emergency physicians are on the frontlines of the opioid and substance use disorder crisis, and every day we witness the impact of overdose on our patients and their families. Illicit fentanyl has exacerbated the overdose crisis, and it is vital to ensure that emergency physicians are equipped with the necessary tools and resources to best treat and educate our patients as we help them on their path to recovery. We thank Representatives Lieu, Latta, and Kamlager-Dove, along with Senators Padilla and Banks, for their leadership in introducing Tyler’s Law,” said Alison J. Haddock, MD, FACEP, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians.
Fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances are the leading cause of overdose deaths in the United States, accounting for over 70 percent of all overdose fatalities in 2023. By expanding fentanyl testing in emergency rooms, this legislation aims to save lives and provide critical information to help combat the nation’s overdose crisis.
Specifically, Tyler’s Law would direct HHS to:
- Assess Fentanyl Testing Practices — Study fentanyl testing rates in hospital emergency departments, including associated costs and benefits.
- Issue National Guidance — Provide hospitals with recommendations on implementing routine fentanyl testing.
- Improve Diagnosis & Treatment — Enhance the identification of fentanyl exposure and guide prevention and treatment efforts.
Full text of the bill is available online at https://www.padilla.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/03.10.25-Tylers-Law-Text.pdf
—Submitted
SACRAMENTO
Lawmakers continue push to rein in AI
Last year Gov. Gavin Newsom signed more than 20 laws related to artificial intelligence. This session state legislators — under a new federal administration — are advancing 30 bills to further regulate the technology in California, writes CalMatters’ Khari Johnson.
Some are reworked bills that failed last year, including one that would require AI developers to evaluate and disclose whether their AI tools perform decisions that could affect someone’s employment, housing and more. Another high-profile bill that Newsom vetoed in 2024 has been narrowed to protect AI whistleblowers.
But unlike last year — wherein President Joe Biden’s administration supported measures to limit AI-related bias and discrimination — President Donald Trump’s administration opposes regulation. On his first day in office, Trump withdrew a Biden executive order that set up guardrails on the technology. Major tech companies have also rolled back their own responsible AI principles.
—Lynn La, CALMatters
