Yang Rohr Bill to Combat Opioid Epidemic Signed into Law

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – A new law sponsored by state Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville, will provide immunity from prosecution to persons seeking medical assistance for an opioid overdose.

“I am proud to have introduced Alex’s Law, which came into fruition after a 25-year-old man from my district in Naperville, Alex Green, tragically passed away after overdosing on heroin laced with Fentanyl,” said Yang Rohr. “In situations like this one, had someone remained on the scene and was not afraid of legal consequences to call EMS, individuals like Alex could be alive today.”

Yang Rohr was the chief sponsor of House Bill 3445, which provides that a person who, in good faith, seeks or obtains emergency medical assistance for someone experiencing an overdose shall not be arrested, lose their pretrial release, or be prosecuted for a violation of possession, under certain provisions. Wisconsin and Minnesota passed similar laws in 2017 following stories similar to Alex’s, a story that many families in America face. The CDC reported in 2018, the year Alex died, that nearly 15,000 people died from drug overdoses involving heroin in the United States. Yang Rohr’s bill was signed into law by the governor at the end of August.

“The safety of my constituents is my top priority, and the opioid crisis poses a major threat to the health of many in our community,” said Yang Rohr. “Solving an issue as immense as the opioid epidemic requires an enormous amount of work, and while Alex’s Law is just one step in addressing this crisis, I will continue to support legislation to address this ever-growing issue.”