Banks’ Tyler’s Law Passes United States Senate

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Last night, Tyler's Law, a bill introduced in 2025 by Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) passed the Senate unanimously. This bill directs the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide hospitals with guidance on implementing fentanyl testing in routine emergency room drug screens.

The bill is named after Tyler Shamash, a teenager who died from a fentanyl poisoning after doctors failed to test for the drug when he was admitted to the emergency room the previous day.

Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.): "Too many families in Indiana and across the country have lost loved ones to fentanyl. Tyler's Law will help prevent these tragedies by directing ERs to screen for fentanyl so patients can get life-saving care faster. I'm grateful to Tyler's mother Juli for leading this effort to make testing the national standard."

Senator Alex Padilla (D-Cal.): "The fentanyl crisis has devastated hundreds of thousands of families in every corner of America. Named in honor of Tyler Shamash, an Angeleno who tragically lost his life when hospital screening tests failed to detect fentanyl in his system, Tyler's Law would ensure that hospitals across the country screen for fentanyl in routine drug panels. Expanding fentanyl testing will bring us one step closer to preventing these tragedies, and I urge my colleagues in the House to pass this lifesaving legislation as soon as possible."

Key Provisions of Tyler's Law:

• Study Fentanyl Testing - HHS would assess current hospital emergency department fentanyl testing rates, costs, and benefits.
• Provide Guidance - HHS would issue recommendations for routine fentanyl testing in hospitals.
• Enhance Diagnosis & Treatment - The bill aims to improve fentanyl exposure diagnosis and guide prevention and treatment efforts.

Full bill text can be found here.

Background:

Senator Banks' first Senate bill, the Countering Beijing's Weaponization (CBW) of Fentanyl Act, seeks to amend the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991. The legislation would classify fentanyl and its precursors as chemical and biological weapons under U.S. law.

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