Lawmakers look to expand Good Samaritan Law after record overdose deaths in 2021 - WABI

AUGUSTA, Maine (WABI) - Maine’s legislature met Thursday afternoon ahead of Governor Janet Mills’ State of the State Address.

Lawmakers and advocates used the opportunity to spotlight a new bill that would expand protections of the Good Samaritan law that protects people from criminal charges when helping someone who is overdosing.

“It’s rare that we see bills that will have such an immediate impact and that are so desperately needed, but this is one of them,” said state senator Chloe Maxmin.

“In September of 2021, I lost a family member to an accidental fatal overdose,” said state representative Lydia Crafts.

One of the 636 people who died in Maine last year from overdose, a new record.

”In putting the pieces together after his death we learned that he wasn’t alone. As he lay dying, the people he was using with did several things. People left the scene, others filled a backpack with supplies to dispose of. It took two hours for someone to call 911,” said representative Crafts.

Victims of addiction also shared their stories of survival.

“It’s a miracle that I’m here today speaking with you. In active use, I overdosed five times in an eight hour period. No one called 911 for assistance out of fear,” said Wendy Allen.

Many are calling on Governor Mills to support this bill ahead of Thursday’s State of the State address.

So far, her administration has spoken against these proposed expansions.

“If we have to pause and ask ourselves ‘am I going to be arrested if I call 911?’ We are clearly asking the wrong question,” said state senator Marianne Moore.

Governor Mills signed off on the latest iteration of the Good Samaritan Law in 2019.

Michael Sauschuck, the Commissioner of Criminal Justice and Public Safety, said in testimony against this bill: ”While this is well intentioned legislation, this proposal is too broad and will lead to unintended consequences. The current law provides immunity to people who undertake an affirmative act to render assistance by calling 9-1-1, but the bill would immunize anyone who happens to be at a location only because someone else did the right thing, even if the others refused to do the right thing or, worse, even actively interfered with attempts to provide help.”

Copyright 2022 WABI. All rights reserved.

source: https://www.wabi.tv/2022/02/10/lawmakers-look-expand-good-samaritan-law-after-record-overdose-deaths-2021/

Your content is great. However, if any of the content contained herein violates any rights of yours, including those of copyright, please contact us immediately by e-mail at media[@]kissrpr.com.