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Senate considers 911 immunity

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On Tuesday the Senate is scheduled to hear testimony on HB 270, a bill that would grant immunity to someone who calls for help during a drug overdose.

To get immunity, the person calling 911 must provide care for the person who overdosed until help arrives.  The bill only covers drug overdoses, not alcohol overdoses.

"A lot of people die because nobody called 911, and that's somebody's kid," said bill sponsor Rep. Amanda Bouldin (D).

Twenty-two states have some form of 911 immunity.

However, the state Attorney General's office is concerned that HB 270 is written in a way that could provide immunity for crimes beyond drug possession, such as drug dealing.

Other bill opponents argue that sometimes the intervention of the criminal justice system is the wake-up call an addict needs.

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