House File 2207 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2207 BY ABDUL-SAMAD A BILL FOR An Act granting immunity from prosecution to persons seeking 1 medical assistance in possession-of-a-controlled-substance 2 cases. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5895YH (2) 85 jm/rj
H.F. 2207 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 124.401G Possession of a controlled 1 substance —— immunity. 2 1. A person who, in good faith, seeks medical assistance 3 for another person experiencing a controlled substance 4 overdose shall not be charged or prosecuted for possession of a 5 controlled substance under section 124.401 if the evidence for 6 the charge of possession of a controlled substance was obtained 7 as a result of the person seeking medical assistance for the 8 other person. 9 2. A person experiencing a controlled substance overdose 10 who is in need of medical assistance shall not be charged 11 or prosecuted for possession of a controlled substance under 12 section 124.401 if the evidence for the charge of possession of 13 a controlled substance was obtained as a result of the overdose 14 and the need for medical assistance. 15 3. A person, acting in good faith, may receive a naloxone 16 prescription, possess naloxone, and administer naloxone to 17 another person suffering from an apparent opiate-related 18 overdose. 19 4. This section shall not be used as grounds for the 20 suppression of evidence in other criminal offenses. 21 EXPLANATION 22 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 23 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 24 This bill grants immunity from prosecution to 25 certain persons seeking medical assistance in 26 possession-of-a-controlled-substance cases. 27 Under the bill, a person who, in good faith, seeks medical 28 assistance for another person experiencing a controlled 29 substance overdose shall not be charged or prosecuted for 30 possession of a controlled substance if the evidence for the 31 charge was obtained as a result of the person seeking medical 32 assistance for the other person. 33 The bill provides that a person experiencing an overdose 34 who is in need of medical assistance shall also not be charged 35 -1- LSB 5895YH (2) 85 jm/rj 1/ 2
H.F. 2207 or prosecuted for possession of a controlled substance if 1 the evidence for the charge was obtained as a result of the 2 overdose and the need for medical assistance. 3 The bill specifies that a person, acting in good faith, 4 may receive a naloxone prescription, possess naloxone, and 5 administer naloxone to another person suffering from an 6 apparent opiate-related overdose. 7 The bill shall not be used as grounds for the suppression of 8 evidence in other criminal offenses. 9 -2- LSB 5895YH (2) 85 jm/rj 2/ 2