A bill to combat opioid overdoses + Cervantes is running + SB 793 is the law of the land
Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!
LAWMAKER INTRODUCES NARCAN BILL
Gas stations, libraries, bars and single-room occupancy hotels would be required to keep opioid blockers like Narcan on-hand to prevent overdoses, under a new bill introduced by Assemblyman Matt Haney, D-San Francisco.
AB 24 would ensure that the California Department of Public Health provides opioid blockers free of charge in counties experiencing an opioid crisis.
The bill comes as lawmakers, police and public health officials struggle to respond to the rise in fentanyl-related overdoses. Fentanyl is a particularly powerful opioid.
“Stopping fentanyl from entering our communities must be a top priority for law enforcement,” Haney said in a statement. ”We have to aggressively go after the supply, but at the same time we have to immediately escalate our public health response to save lives.”
Opioid blockers like Narcan can completely reverse an overdose in just 30 seconds with no side effects.
Under AB 24, the state would conduct inspections to make sure required facilities are maintaining a supply of blockers, much like is done with first aid kits and fire extinguishers. Failure to have an opioid blocker on-site would result in a $1,000 fine, under the proposed law.
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CERVANTES ANNOUNCES SENATE RUN
Sen. Richard Roth, D-Riverside, who is term-limited in 2024, and has officially endorsed a successor: Assemblywoman Sabrina Cervantes, D-Riverside, who announced her bid Tuesday for Senate District 31.
Cervantes also boasts endorsements from civil rights icon Dolores Huerta, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.
Two candidates — Democrat Angelo Farooq and Republican Bernard William Murphy — have already announced for the open Senate seat. However, Cervantes pointed to a poll from Lake Research Partners which found that 45% of voters prefer her in a three-way race, compared to 29% for Murphy and 6% for Farooq.
“I am running for the State Senate because, as one of the fastest growing regions in our state, the Inland Empire deserves a senator who knows how to get things done at our State Capitol,” Cervantes said in a statement.
In a statement of support, Roth called Cervantes “my unwavering partner” in delivering for the Inland Empire.
“When she succeeds me in the Senate, I know she will continue our shared mission of ensuring that the Inland Empire keeps its hard-earned seat at the table in determining the future of California,” Roth said.
AFTER BALLOT REFERENDUM, LEGAL CHALLENGE, ANTI-TOBACCO LAW FINALLY TAKES EFFECT
The tobacco industry pushed every possible lever to block SB 793 from going into effect, banning the sale of most flavored tobacco products in the state.
First, there was the referendum campaign. And when 63% of voters approved the law, the industry sued and took the matter all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which rejected its petition.
On Wednesday, SB 793 officially went into effect.
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, which championed the bill, took a victory lap.
“California voters gave a resounding ‘no’ to one of Big Tobacco’s most depraved practices: using fruit-and candy-flavored products to lure kids into a potential lifetime of addiction,” ACS CAN California Managing Director Jim Knox said in a statement.
Knox said that more than 2.5 million middle and high school students use e-cigarettes, with fruity and sweet flavors often driving tobacco use.
Lisa Lacasse, president of ACS CAN, called the Supreme Court rejection of the tobacco industry’s petition a huge win.
“While the industry repeatedly pursues legal challenges to delay or thwart policies aiming to protect our communities from the scourges of tobacco use, ACS CAN will continue to vigorously defend this law to ensure it can save lives from cancer caused by tobacco use as intended,” she said.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Harvey Weinstein will never be able to rape another woman. He will spend the rest of his life behind bars where he belongs. Harvey Weinstein is a serial predator and what he did was rape. Throughout the trial, Weinstein’s lawyers used sexism, misogyny, and bullying tactics to intimidate, demean, and ridicule us survivors. This trial is a stark reminder that we as a society have work to do. To all survivors out there — I see you, I hear you, and I stand with you.”
- Jennifer Siebel Newsom, in a statement following the verdict in the Weinstein trial.
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