Kansas lawmakers push for easier access to naloxone for law enforcement

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - Kansas law enforcement agencies may soon have easier access to a life-saving drug used to reverse opioid overdoses, thanks to a new bill making its way through the state house.

The proposed legislation would establish a fund to help equip authorities with naloxone, a critical tool in combating the opioid crisis. The bill would also eliminate outdated requirements that have made it more difficult for smaller departments to obtain the drug.

According to a lobbyist for the Kansas Peace Officers Association, the bill would reflect recent changes in the availability of naloxone. Since the drug is now available over-the-counter, the bill removes the need for a medical director - a requirement that posed a barrier for smaller departments due to the costs and difficulty accessing a physician.

Jennifer Ebert, a mother who lost her son to fentanyl poisoning, spoke in of the bill.

“Families across Kansas are losing their loved ones,” Ebert said. “Law enforcement officers are often the first on the scene of a fentanyl poisoning or an overdose, but if they don’t have the tools to save a life, they are left helpless, just like the officer who responded to my son’s call for help.”

The proposed legislation includes a $4 million grant to help law enforcement agencies across the state purchase naloxone.