Vermont S 300: An act relating to screening for fentanyl during a hospital-administered urine drug screening

Bill Text

BILL AS INTRODUCED S.300
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VT LEG #378306 v.4
S.300 1
Introduced by Senators Williams and Heffernan 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Human services; opioid use disorder; urine drug screening; fentanyl 5
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require that a 6
hospital screen for fentanyl as part of any urine drug screening conducted to 7
assist in diagnosing the patient’s condition. 8
An act relating to screening for fentanyl during a hospital-administered 9
urine drug screening 10
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 11
Sec. 1. 18 V.S.A. § 4755 is added to read: 12
§ 4755. FENTANYL; URINE DRUG SCREENING 13
(a) If a patient is treated in a hospital licensed pursuant to chapter 43 of this 14
title and the hospital conducts a urine drug screening to assist in diagnosing the 15
patient’s condition, the hospital shall include testing for fentanyl as part of the 16
urine drug screening. 17
(b)(1) A hospital conducting a urine drug screening pursuant to this section 18
and its employees shall not disclose the screening results for fentanyl to a law 19

BILL AS INTRODUCED S.300
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VT LEG #378306 v.4
enforcement officer, unless the screening result is sought pursuant to a valid 1
warrant or subpoena. 2
(2) A hospital and its employees shall be immune from civil and 3
criminal liability for disclosing the screening results to a law enforcement 4
officer in good faith reliance on the provisions of subdivision (1) of this 5
subsection. 6
(c) As used in this section, “urine drug screening” means a chemical 7
analysis intended to test patients for the presence of multiple drugs, including 8
cocaine, opioids, and phencyclidine. 9
Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE 10
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026. 11