S 2863

SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2863
  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  _______________
  In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
  (2025-2026)
  _______________
  SENATE, December 15, 2025.
   The committee on Education, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill,
Senate, No. 382) of John F. Keenan, Dylan A. Fernandes, Adam Gomez, Sal N. DiDomenico
and other members of the General Court for legislation to require opioid use disorder education
in public schools; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 413) of Mark C. Montigny for legislation to
save lives through increased fentanyl awareness, aka Andrew's Law; (accompanied by bill,
Senate, No. 432) of Jacob R. Oliveira for legislation relative to prescription opioid abuse
prevention education; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 433) of Pavel M. Payano for legislation
relative to substance use education in public schools; (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 447) of
Michael F. Rush for legislation to provide hands only CPR training and the use of defibrillators;
and (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 456) of Bruce E. Tarr, Madeleine Elizabeth Jackman ,
Patrick M. O'Connor, Shirley B. Arriaga and others relative to requiring instruction in
cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of defibrillators for high school graduation, report the
accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2863).
  For the committee,
  Jason M. Lewis
  FILED ON: 12/1/2025
  SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2863
  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  _______________
  In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
  (2025-2026)
  _______________
An Act regarding the instruction of lifesaving skills in schools.
  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1SECTION 1. Chapter 69 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition,
2 is hereby amended by inserting after section 1T the following section:-
3Section 1U. (a) Drug, alcohol and tobacco use education standards established pursuant
4 to section 1D shall promote an understanding of opioid use disorder including, but not limited to:
5(i) opioids and how substance use disorder occurs; (ii) the risks associated with opioids,
6 such as fentanyl, being mixed with other substances; (iii) procedures to identify an opioid
7 overdose;
8(iv ) where to find and how to use naloxone to reverse an opioid overdose; (v)
9 destigmatizing naloxone possession; and (vi) existing statewide medical amnesty for lay people
10 who administer naloxone or contact emergency services in the event of a suspected overdose.
11(b) A school district, charter school, approved private day or residential school or
12 collaborative school shall incorporate the opioid use disorder education standards established
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13 pursuant to section 1D and subsection (a) into existing curriculum including, but not limited to,
14 health education.
15(c) The department may apply for federal, state or other funding to implement this
16 section.
17SECTION 2. Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
18 section 2C, the following section:-
19Section 2D. Each school district in the commonwealth shall provide instruction in hands
20 only cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external defibrillator as part of
21 the existing physical education or health education curriculum in grades 9 through 12. The
22 school district may select a no-cost, non-certification instructional program to meet this
23 requirement. The instructional program provided shall be modeled from an instructional program
24 established by a nationally recognized association with expertise in instruction in
25 cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external defibrillator and include a
26 hands-on learning component for each participating student. Each public high school student
27 shall be required to participate in the instructional program; provided, however, that no student
28 shall be required to take part in the instructional program if (i) a licensed physician certifies in
29 writing that such participation would be injurious to the student; or (ii) a parent or guardian for
30 the student submits a written objection to the student’s participation in the instructional program.
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