OklahomaOklahoma law permits people to give opioid overdose medicine
Oklahoma's enacted law allows people and organizations to handle opioid overdose drugs and provides legal protections, but its text gives conflicting effective dates.
What it does
Any person may keep, buy, receive, share, or give an FDA-approved drug that blocks opioids' effects, including naloxone. Sharing must follow federal law; giving it requires a good-faith belief that someone is overdosing.
A person cannot be criminally prosecuted for possessing, storing, acquiring, sharing, making available, or giving an emergency opioid overdose drug under this section.
A person who shares, makes available, or gives an emergency opioid overdose drug in good faith is protected from civil damages, except for gross negligence or willful or wanton wrongdoing.
Argument forLetting people keep and give overdose drugs could help someone respond when they believe a person is experiencing an opioid overdose.
Argument againstThe protections could make it harder for someone harmed by a drug being shared or given to seek compensation, except in cases of serious or deliberate wrongdoing.
More detail
Any person may possess, store, acquire, distribute, make available, or administer an emergency opioid antagonist. An emergency opioid antagonist is an FDA-approved drug that blocks opioids' effects, including naloxone. “Person” includes individuals and legal entities such as businesses, governments, tribal entities, and colleges. Distribution or making the drug available must follow applicable federal law. A person may administer the drug when they believe in good faith that someone is experiencing an opioid overdose. The text gives July 1, 2026, as the effective date, but also says the law takes effect after passage and approval.
A person handling an emergency opioid antagonist under this section cannot be criminally prosecuted for that conduct. The protection covers possessing, storing, acquiring, distributing, making available, or administering the drug under this section. The text gives July 1, 2026, as the effective date, but also says the law takes effect after passage and approval.
A person who in good faith distributes, makes available, or administers an emergency opioid antagonist is protected from civil damages, subject to exceptions. The protection applies to distributing, making available, or administering the drug under this section. The protection does not cover acts or omissions that amount to gross negligence or willful or wanton wrongdoing in distributing, making available, or administering the drug. The text gives July 1, 2026, as the effective date, but also says the law takes effect after passage and approval.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 13Approved by Governor Kevin Stitt 05/12/2026Became Law
- May 6Sent to GovernorTo Governor
- Vote recorded Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 6Signed, returned to Senate
- May 6Enrolled, to House
- May 6Referred for enrollment
- May 6Signed, returned to Senate
- May 6Third Reading, Measure and Emergency passed: Ayes: 86 Nays: 2Major
- May 6Amendment restores bill to engrossed versionMajor
- May 6AmendedMajor
- May 6General Order
- Apr 16CR; Do Pass, amended by committee substitute Health and Human Services Oversight CommitteeMinor
- Apr 15
- Vote recorded Health And Human Services Oversight Committee: Do Pass As Amended By Cs. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 8Policy recommendation to the Health and Human Services Oversight committee; Do Pass, amended by committee substitute Alcohol, Tobacco and Controlled SubstancesMinor
- Vote recorded Alcohol, Tobacco And Controlled Substances Committee: Do Pass As Amended By Cs. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 31Referred to Alcohol, Tobacco and Controlled SubstancesMinor
- Mar 31Second Reading referred to Health and Human Services OversightMinor
- Mar 30First ReadingMinor
- Mar 30Engrossed to HousePassed House
- Mar 26Referred for engrossment
- Vote recorded Third Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 26Measure and Emergency passed: Ayes: 41 Nays: 0Passed Senate
- Mar 26Emergency added
- Mar 26General Order, Amended by Floor Substitute
- 2025
- Feb 24Placed on General Order
- Feb 19Reported Do Pass Public Safety committee; CR filedMinor
- Vote recorded Public Safety. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 4Coauthored by Representative Turner (principal House author)
- Feb 4Second Reading referred to Public SafetyMinor
- Feb 3Authored by Senator Weaver
- Feb 3First ReadingIntroduced
HealthcarePublic Safety