Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

Public safety panel advances bill to expand immunity protections to people reporting overdoses

Colleen Ronnei, executive director of Change the Outcome, testifies Thursday before the House public safety committee in support of HF3812, sponsored by Rep. Patty Acomb, right. (Photo by Andrew VonBank)
Colleen Ronnei, executive director of Change the Outcome, testifies Thursday before the House public safety committee in support of HF3812, sponsored by Rep. Patty Acomb, right. (Photo by Andrew VonBank)

Imagine you’re witnessing a friend overdosing on drugs. You want to call 911 for help but are reluctant because you’re in possession of illegal drugs yourself.

Should you hesitate for fear of being arrested?

No, because Minnesota has a “Good Samaritan” law that gives immunity to a person who summons help for someone overdosing on drugs. That means a cop responding to your 911 call can’t arrest you if you’re holding illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia.

House committee advances bill expanding immunity for people who report overdoses 2/22/24

The current law no doubt saves lives, said Rep. Patty Acomb (DFL-Minnetonka), but drug overdoses remain the No. 1 cause of death among young adults in this country.

She believes even more lives could be saved if the law would protect not just the person placing the emergency call, but anyone “acting in concert” with the person calling for help.

She sponsors HF3812 to make that change. The House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee approved the bill, as amended, Thursday and sent it to the House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee. No one spoke in opposition.

Colleen Ronnei, executive director of Change the Outcome, said young people are afraid to call 911 to help someone experiencing an overdose because only the caller has protection. Instead, impaired kids often flee the scene, some in cars, and that’s a serious public safety issue.

 


Related Articles


Priority Dailies

Legislature — with budget incomplete — gavels out, prepares for special session
House Speaker Lisa Demuth and Republican Floor Leader Harry Niska speak with the media following the May 19 end of the regular legislative session. (Photo by Michele Jokinen) Some years, state legislative sessions surge to a climax on their final day, a flurry of activity providing a sustained adrenaline rush, culminating in smiles of satisfaction as...
Walz, lawmakers strike budget deal in session's final days
Gov. Tim Walz and three of four legislative leaders announce a bipartisan agreement on biennial budget targets during a May 15 press conference. (Photo by Andrew VonBank) With five days to go in the 2025 session, three of four legislative leaders announced a budget agreement Thursday that would sunset unemployment insurance for hourly school empl...