Alaska HB 166: An Act relating to the duties of the Department of Education and Early Development; relating to public education; and relating to opioid abuse awareness and prevention.

Bill Text

HB0166a -1- HB 166
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HOUSE BILL NO. 166

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION

BY REPRESENTATIVES RAUSCHER, Costello

Introduced: 4/2/25
Referred: Education, Finance

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to the duties of the Department of Education and Early Development; 1
relating to public education; and relating to opioid abuse awareness and prevention." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. AS 14.30 is amended by adding a new section to read: 4
Sec. 14.30.363. Opioid abuse awareness and prevention curriculum. (a) 5
The department shall develop an opioid abuse awareness and prevention curriculum 6
for students in grades six through 12 relating to the dangers associated with, and the 7
physical, psychological, and physiological consequences related to, opioid abuse and 8
opioid addiction. The curriculum must provide at least 60 minutes of instruction 9
annually relating to opioid abuse awareness and prevention, including 10
(1) the dangers of using opioids, including drugs that may contain 11
fentanyl; 12
(2) awareness of opioids that target children, including drugs 13
containing fentanyl that are designed to look like candy; 14

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HB 166 -2- HB0166a
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(3) the science related to using opioids, including drugs that contain 1
fentanyl; 2
(4) prevention of opioid abuse, including safe use of opioid 3
prescription medications; and 4
(5) detection of early warning signs related to opioid addiction in 5
school-aged children. 6
(b) In developing the curriculum, the department shall consult with 7
(1) the Department of Health; 8
(2) state and tribal entities and state residents that have experience in 9
reducing, preventing, and responding to opioid overdoses, including overdoses caused 10
by drugs containing fentanyl; and 11
(3) family members of individuals who have had an opioid overdose, 12
including overdoses caused by drugs containing fentanyl. 13
(c) Each school district shall teach the curriculum 14
(1) to students in grades six through 12; and 15
(2) during, or as close as practicable to, the last week in October. 16
(d) In this section, 17
(1) "curriculum" means the opioid abuse awareness and prevention 18
curriculum described in (a) of this section; 19
(2) "drugs" has the meaning given in AS 47.37.270; 20
(3) "opioid" has the meaning given in AS 17.20.085(e); 21
(4) "opioid abuse" and "opioid addiction" mean 22
(A) a physiological or psychological dependency, or both, on 23
an opioid; or 24
(B) habitual lack of self-control in using opioids to the extent 25
that a person's health is substantially impaired or a person's social or economic 26
function is substantially disrupted; 27
(5) "school district" has the meaning given in AS 14.30.350. 28