Pennsylvania SR 353: A Resolution designating the week of July 20 through 24, 2026, as "Construction Opioid Awareness Week" in Pennsylvania.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 1875
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No. 353
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY KANE, ROBINSON, TARTAGLIONE, CULVER, PICOZZI,
HAYWOOD, LAUGHLIN, HUGHES, KEARNEY AND COSTA, JULY 8, 2026
REFERRED TO RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, JULY 8, 2026
A RESOLUTION
Designating the week of July 20 through 24, 2026, as
"Construction Opioid Awareness Week" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Opioids are deadly and are responsible for claiming
more than 850,000 American lives between 1999 and 2025; and
WHEREAS, In 2025, 69,973 individuals died from drug overdoses
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC); and
WHEREAS, More than 63%, or 44,564, of drug overdose deaths in
2025 involved an opioid according to the CDC; and
WHEREAS, A National Center for Health Statistics report
confirmed that the construction industry has been hit hard by
the opioid crisis; and
WHEREAS, According to the report entitled, "Drug Overdose
Mortality by Usual Occupation and Industry," released August 22,
2023, the construction industry had the highest rate of overdose
deaths in 2020, with a rate of 130.9 deaths per 100,000 workers;
and
WHEREAS, The construction industry, which involves physically
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demanding labor and employs an aging workforce, has been
particularly vulnerable to the opioid epidemic; and
WHEREAS, Drug abuse issues in the construction industry
endanger not only the individual worker, but the companies they
work for, other workers on the jobsite and the general public
near jobsites; and
WHEREAS, The summer months are the busiest for the
construction industry and are an ideal time for promoting
awareness of the dangers of opioid abuse; and
WHEREAS, Many construction organizations have been utilizing
services and resources from the National Safety Council to
create an educational toolbox for members of the construction
industry, including materials to facilitate discussions with
workers about the dangers of opioids and prescription drug
abuse, and "Warn Me" stickers to place on workers' insurance
cards in the hopes of encouraging health care providers to
discuss opioid issues with those workers; and
WHEREAS, Contractors and contractor organizations such as the
Keystone Contractors Association are advocating for keeping
naloxone on construction sites and contractor's offices; and
WHEREAS, Contractors and contractor organizations, including
the Keystone Contractors Association are providing free naloxone
to any construction company in this Commonwealth that requests
it; and
WHEREAS, The 988 mental health and suicide crisis prevention
hotline has helped more than 23 million people since 2022,
including construction workers, receive the mental health
support they need every day of the year according to Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration statistics; and
WHEREAS, The construction industry continues to support the
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988 hotline with hardhat stickers and giveaway coins; and
WHEREAS, The following groups plan to promote the awareness
and dangers of opioids and prescription drug abuse within the
construction industry during the last full week in the month of
July:
(1) Keystone Contractors Association;
(2) National Safety Council;
(3) Pennsylvania Utility Contractors Association;
(4) Pennsylvania Building and Construction Trades
Council;
(5) Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of
Carpenters;
(6) Laborers International Union of North America -
Pennsylvania Council;
(7) Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors
National Association - Pennsylvania Chapter;
(8) Master Builders' Association of Western
Pennsylvania;
(9) National Electrical Contractors Association of
Western Pennsylvania;
(10) Mechanical Contractors Association of America -
Pennsylvania Chapters;
(11) Pennsylvania Builders Exchange;
(12) Architectural Glass and Metal Association;
(13) Ironworker Employers Association of Western
Pennsylvania;
(14) American Subcontractors Association of Central
Pennsylvania; and
(15) General Building Contractors Association;
therefore be it
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RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the week of July 20
through 24, 2026, as "Construction Opioid Awareness Week" in
Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the construction industry in Pennsylvania be
encouraged to promote awareness of the dangers of opioids and
prescription drug abuse with workers in the industry and
facilitate discussions and events such as "Drug Take Back"
events to combat the opioid and prescription drug abuse epidemic
in Pennsylvania's construction industry.
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