Senate committee advances six substance use disorder bills, sends measures to calendar and finance

The Senate Standing Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Use Disorder advanced six bills at its March 5, 2026 meeting, moving measures on judicial diversion, fentanyl prevention, jail-based treatment, naloxone placement and workplace recovery policy out of committee to either the calendar or finance committees.

Chair Senator Fernandez opened the session and framed the work in budgetary context, saying the committee must act “as we navigate a tight budget and amid the federal funding cuts with increasing demand for services, your collaboration and leadership have made an extraordinary difference.” A staff member read each bill’s text before members moved, seconded and approved the measures by voice vote.

The most notable provisions advanced include: S 18 19 A, which would amend procedure law on the privacy and confidentiality of urine test results for participants in judicial diversion programs; S 35 18, which would establish a Fentanyl Abuse and Overdose Prevention Task Force with a statutory sunset; and a multi-part measure recorded in the transcript as S 45 74 45 47 to amend internal procedure and judiciary law related to judicial diversion programs. Committee members also moved S 49 56 to designate jail-based substance use disorder treatment, peer-led recovery support and transition services as essential medical care, and S 57 79 to require certain entities to stock opioid antagonists and store naloxone nasal sprays with or adjacent to automated external defibrillator (AED) cabinets. The final bill advanced was S 91 45, described as a Recovery-Ready Workplaces act under the mental hygiene law.

Senator O'Baracko urged quick action throughout the packet and praised several measures; he called the naloxone placement bill “a lifesaving bill,” noting that co-locating naloxone with AEDs could make rescue medication more accessible during overdoses. Chair Fernandez and other members offered brief remarks of support for the jail-based treatment designation and the judicial-diversion privacy changes.

Votes at a glance
S 18 19 A (sponsor: Sen. Hernandez): moved and approved by voice vote; transcript records the bill as “reported to Cove” (destination in transcript unclear).
S 35 18 (sponsor: Sen. Griselda Spanton): moved, approved by voice vote and reported to the calendar.
S 45 74 45 47 (judicial diversion provisions): moved, approved by voice vote and reported to finance.
S 49 56 (sponsor: Sen. Hartham): moved, approved by voice vote and reported to the calendar; members expressed support for designating jail-based SUD services as essential care.
S 57 79 (sponsor: Sen. Fernandez): moved, approved by voice vote and reported to the calendar; members described the naloxone-AED placement as lifesaving.
S 91 45 (sponsor: Sen. Fernandez): moved, approved by voice vote and reported to finance.

What’s next
The bills will proceed from committee to the calendar or finance committees as recorded in the transcript; the committee did not record roll-call tallies or named individual votes in the meeting transcript, and no amendments or defeats were recorded. Chair Fernandez closed the meeting with thanks to members for their work.