Senate President Introduces New Hampshire Drug Overdose Fatality Review Commission
February 12, 2020
Contact Name: Sara Persechino
Phone: (603) 271-3479
Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us
CONCORD - Today, Senate President Donna Soucy (D-Manchester) introduced SB 744 which would establish the New Hampshire drug overdose fatality review commission. By reviving a commission established by an Executive Order issued by then Governor Maggie Hassan, this bill will assist in the continued fight against the opioid epidemic that has resulted in the deaths of thousands of New Hampshire residents. The commission will review information and data related to drug overdose fatalities in New Hampshire in order to inform comprehensive policy development to fight overdose fatalities.
After the hearing, prime sponsor Senate President Donna Soucy (D-Manchester) issued the following statement:
“In 2017, New Hampshire saw a record number of deaths by drug overdose. That number has thankfully begun to decline as we have increased state funding for substance use disorder treatment and enacted legislation aimed at ending the opioid epidemic. However, in 2019 we still lost 364 New Hampshire residents to overdose. While the number may have decreased, even one death is too many. We have taken it upon ourselves as a Legislature to do everything we can to fight this crisis. Reviving the drug overdose fatality review committee established by then Governor Hassan in this manner will give us a clearer picture of what works, and how we can expand treatment and recovery options. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate as we continue to fulfill our joint promise to fight the opioid crisis head on.”
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Background:
· In 2016, then Governor Maggie Hassan created the Drug Overdose Fatality Review Committee by executive order. The committee has not met since 2017.