Senate Unanimously Passes Padilla and Banks’ Tyler’s Law to Fight Fentanyl Crisis

Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.) announced that the Senate unanimously passed their bipartisan legislation 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 fentanyl crisis has devastated hundreds of thousands of families in every corner of America,” said Senator Padilla. “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.”

“Too many families in Indiana and across the country have lost loved ones to fentanyl,” said Senator Banks. “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.”

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.

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.

The legislation now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives. Representatives Ted Lieu (D-Calif.-36), Bob Latta (R-Ohio-05), and Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.-37) are the lead sponsors of the companion bill.

More on Tyler’s Law can be read here.