Advocates rally for stronger Good Samaritan law at Black Balloon Day event - WMTW Portland

AUGUSTA, Maine —

A memorial was held Sunday in Augusta for the 636 people who died of a drug overdose in Maine in 2021, but a bill which could prevent future deaths was on the tip of the tongue for many.

LD 1862 was introduced by State Sen. Chloe Maxmin (D-Nobleboro) to strengthen the state's Good Samaritan Law, which prevents those that call 911 for an overdose from being held liable for drug-related crimes. Maxmin's bill would expand those protections to anyone else in a room, so as to avoid confusion as to who would be liable if additional assistance is provided.

"The current law right now only covers the person who calls 911 and the person who's overdosing," Maxmin said. "So if you're performing CPR but you didn't make the phone call, you are not covered under our current law. That's just not the human way to go."

Gov. Janet Mills opposes this bill, and an alternative plan would only provide protection to those directly assisting a person overdosing. Maxmin says these protections are inadequate.

"The governor's amendment does not address the problem that we are trying to solve," Maxmin said. "It does not make people feel more safe to call 911. The reason why the current law is inadequate is because people don't know if they're covered or not. And the governor's amendment does not solve that problem."

Other detractors say the bill would incentivize criminal behavior.

"The thinking is 'nothing will happen to me,'" said State Sen. Susan Deschambault (D-Biddeford)."'I will not be arrested.' And that is enabling an addiction."

Supporters of the bill who spoke at the memorial say those arguments are antiquated and draw from the "war on drugs."

"They continue to focus on punishment," said State Rep. Charlotte Warren (D-Hallowell), who directly called out Deschambault at the memorial. "They continue to say that the war on drugs is going to somehow get us out of this issue. We have fought the war on drugs for decades. More and more and more and more people die every year. So this bill is about stepping away from the war on drugs, and going to what the doctors are saying, to actually start saving lives."

Warren and Deschambault serve as co-chairs of the Joint Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee.

The memorial, which is normally held outdoors, was moved inside to the Augusta Civic Center due to rain.

source: https://www.wmtw.com/article/advocates-rally-for-stronger-good-samaritan-law-at-black-balloon-day-event/39343858

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