Will Massachusetts Force Towns to Host Supervised Drug Sites? What’s Inside Bill S.1393

Before lawmakers broke for the August recess, legislation was sent to the Massachusetts Senate Ways and Means Committee that could force communities to host so-called safe injection sites with or without local approval.

Bill S.1393: An Act Relative to Preventing Overdose Deaths and Increasing Access to Treatment was advanced with a favorable "ought to pass" recommendation and referred to the Ways and Means Committee, chaired by Westport Democrat Senator Michael Rodrigues.

The legislation has clawed its way through various committees, and a recommendation from Ways and Means is all it needs to get to the Senate floor for a vote. A House version of the legislation, Bill H.2196, is still a work in progress.

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Key Details of Massachusetts Bill S.1393 and Bill H.2196

Mass Daily News reported the proposed law would "authorize the operation of state-supervised drug injection sites across Massachusetts and prohibit police from using site attendance to establish probable cause for a search or seizure."

Massachusetts Communities May Be Forced To Accept Safe Injection Sites

"The two-part reform, quietly moving through Senate Ways and Means, would legalize the supervised consumption of pre-obtained illegal drugs at government-approved facilities anywhere in the Commonwealth," according to Mass Daily News.

What Drugs Could Be Used at Massachusetts Safe Injection Sites?

The legislation does not specify which drugs could be injected at these sites; however, Mass Daily News said they could include "heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and any other controlled substance a person brings to the facility."

On its website, the Massachusetts for Overdose Prevention Coalition supports the legislation: "Overdose prevention services are evidence-based public health interventions proven to prevent overdoses through supervised use of pre-obtained substances, while connecting people to treatment, recovery, healthcare, and their communities."

Public Health Defense vs. Local Opposition in New Bedford

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell and the New Bedford City Council are strong opponents of needle exchange programs and safe injection sites.

While technically the legislation is active, there is a good chance it could die in committee before ever being reported out for a floor vote.