Senate Advances Padilla, Banks Bipartisan Tyler’s Law to Fight Fentanyl Crisis

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions advanced bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.) to help combat the fentanyl crisis. Tyler's Law would direct the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide hospitals with guidance on incorporating fentanyl testing into routine emergency room drug screenings.

The legislation is named after Tyler Shamash, a Los Angeles teenager who died from fentanyl poisoning after he was admitted to the emergency room, where fentanyl was not included in the standard toxicology screen. Following Tyler's tragic passing, California became the first state to pass Tyler's Law in 2022. Senators Padilla and Banks' bill is the companion to Representatives Ted Lieu (D-Calif.-36), Bob Latta (R-Ohio-05), and Sydney Kamlager-Dove's (D-Calif.-37) legislation in the House of Representatives.

"The fentanyl crisis is a matter of life and death for families in California and across the country," said Senator Padilla. "Far too many people, including children, have tragically died from fentanyl overdoses. One of those lives lost was Tyler Shamash, a Los Angeles teenager whose hospital screening tests failed to detect the drug in his system. By advancing our bipartisan legislation, the Senate took an important step to honor Tyler's memory by bringing California's updated standard of including fentanyl in emergency room screenings to the federal level. Today we are one step closer to preventing these tragedies."

"Too many families in Indiana and across America have lost loved ones to fentanyl poisoning. Tyler's Law will help prevent these tragedies by promoting fentanyl testing in hospital emergency departments. I thank Tyler's mother, Juli, for championing this legislation to make fentanyl testing a national standard, and I am proud to see it pass out of committee," said Senator Banks.

"I have been working with Tyler's mom, Juli, on this bill for years and am pleased that we're seeing movement on it in the Senate," said Representative Lieu. "Juli initially reached out to my office in 2023 to share Tyler's story and ask what we could do. It was shocking and awful to learn through Tyler's story that some hospitals do not test for fentanyl when treating patients suspected of overdoses. The solution seemed common-sense: ensure doctors and hospitals were testing for fentanyl when ordering drug panels. I have been grateful for the partnership of Representatives Kamlager-Dove and Latta and Senators Padilla and Banks on this bill. By moving this bill forward, we're honoring Tyler's memory and fighting to save lives."

"No one should ever experience the heartbreak of losing a loved one to a fentanyl overdose, nor should anyone have to question whether that death could have been prevented. In 2018, my constituent, Tyler Shamash, tragically lost his life to an overdose because fentanyl was not included in the emergency room's drug screening. Tyler's Law aims to save countless lives by ensuring that overdose victims can receive critical care before it's too late. I am deeply grateful to have met Tyler's mother, Juli, whose strength and tireless advocacy led to California's requirement for emergency rooms to include fentanyl in their drug screenings. Now, we must take the next step and make fentanyl testing a nationwide standard by passing this lifesaving legislation," said Representative Kamlager-Dove.

"Illicit fentanyl and its analogs have claimed countless American lives, and we must continue to do everything we can to curb this deadly epidemic. That's why I co-lead Tyler's Law in the House of Representatives, which will help us better understand fentanyl overdoses and the testing shortfalls occurring in hospital emergency rooms. I appreciate the Senate for marking up this crucial piece of legislation, and I support this vital, bipartisan effort to save lives," said Representative Latta.

Fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances are the leading cause of overdose deaths in the United States, accounting for over 70 percent of all overdose fatalities in 2023. By expanding fentanyl testing in emergency rooms, this legislation aims to save lives and provide critical information to help combat the nation's overdose crisis.

Specifically, Tyler's Law would direct HHS to:

• Assess Fentanyl Testing Practices - Study fentanyl testing rates in hospital emergency departments, including associated costs and benefits.
• Issue National Guidance - Provide hospitals with recommendations on implementing routine fentanyl testing.
• Improve Diagnosis & Treatment - Enhance the identification of fentanyl exposure and guide prevention and treatment efforts.

More on Tyler's Law can be read here.

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