Tyler’s Law would encourage hospitals to test more often for fentanyl during overdose cases, while Sammy’s Law would give parents more tools to monitor youth social media risks.

Organ Mountain News report

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez is backing two bipartisan bills aimed at fentanyl overdose response and youth online safety.

Vasquez, a Democrat who represents New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District, announced July 2 that he is supporting Tyler’s Law and Sammy’s Law.

Tyler’s Law would encourage hospitals to test for fentanyl more regularly when a patient is experiencing an overdose. Sammy’s Law would give parents tools intended to help monitor whether children are using social media platforms to engage in drug deals or other dangerous behavior.

“Fentanyl is cutting too many lives short, ripping apart New Mexico families,” Vasquez said. “We need to attack this crisis from every angle: stopping traffickers at the border, holding federal officials accountable when they fail our communities, giving parents tools to keep their kids safe online, and helping hospitals identify fentanyl overdoses faster.”

Sammy’s Law is named after Sammy Chapman, who died at age 16 after being approached by a drug dealer on Snapchat and unknowingly consuming fentanyl, according to Vasquez’s office.

Vasquez’s office said Tyler’s Law has support from several community and health organizations, including the American College of Emergency Physicians, Emergency Nurses Association, AIDS United, National Drug & Alcohol Screening Association, Facing Fentanyl, Song for Charlie, End Overdose and others.

The announcement follows a June 25 letter Vasquez sent with U.S. Reps. Melanie Stansbury and Teresa Leger Fernández to the Drug Enforcement Administration seeking answers after reports that federal agents and prosecutors allowed large quantities of fentanyl pills to reach New Mexico communities through a law enforcement practice known as “walking.”

Vasquez’s office said the bills build on other drug-interdiction and border-security legislation he has supported, including measures related to cargo scanning, law enforcement coordination, penalties for human smugglers and fentanyl traffickers and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program.