National news media and other organizations are taking note of a new report evaluating Washington state's "911 Good Samaritan Law." Researchers from the University of Washington are studying the impact of the law during its first year of implementation in Seattle. The study is funded by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to look at the law's legal intent, implementation, and outcomes.
This study is the first in the U.S. to measure the legal intent and implementation of law designed to encourage bystanders to call 911 during a drug overdose, and is likely to be of great interest to other states that have implemented or are considering a similar law. States with 911 Good Sam laws on the books include New Mexico, New York, Connecticut, and Illinois. It is being considered in California, Massachusetts, and Florida among other states.
JoinTogether Online: What are the Impacts of Good Samaritan Laws? (Nov 18)
ACLU of Washington State: 911 Good Samaritan Law is Working (Nov 18)
Public Health Law Research: Banta-Green & Kuszler Release Preliminary Findings of Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Law (Nov 21)
