Senate passes bill to expand opioid, fentanyl prevention on college campuses, 39–1

The South Carolina Senate voted 39–1 on third reading to pass a bill directing institutions of higher education to make opioid and fentanyl prevention education available to students, require training for residence-hall staff on administering naloxone, and authorize campuses to obtain and maintain opioid-overdose reversal medication.

Senator Tedder, who delivered brief introductory remarks on the floor, said the legislation is a "common-sense step to help protect our students" amid what he described as an ongoing opioid and fentanyl crisis. "This bill takes a common sense step to help protect our students on college campuses," he said, adding that it focuses on "education, preparedness, and saving lives." Senator Tedder also recognized Shelby Draffs, an advocate in the gallery who helped bring the issue to his attention.

The bill as read authorizes institutions to distribute awareness information to students, requires training for residence-hall staff in naloxone administration, and gives campuses permissive authority to keep opioid-overdose reversal medication on hand. After the final tabulation, the clerk announced that H38 58 was given a third reading and passed by a 39–1 vote.

The bill will be referred to the education committee for subsequent consideration of implementation details, as noted on the floor. The Senate took no additional floor action on implementation timelines during the session; further steps, including committee markup or any enactment date, were not specified in the session record.