Oregon Medical Amnesty Bill Passed Unanimously by OR Senate

The bill now moves to the Governor where we expect it will be signed in to law. Once signed, Oregon will become the 18th state to enact a Medical Amnesty law.

Oregon State Capitol photo by Tim King Salem-News.com

(SALEM) - On Thursday, February 20, the Oregon Senate passed House Bill 4094 (HB 4094), Medical Amnesty, which establishes protections for intoxicated minors. Medical Amnesty provides intoxicated minors with a limited legal immunity when they seek help for themselves, or another individual, during a medical emergency.

The law provides immunity from criminal prosecution for Oregon’s underage possession or consumption of alcohol offense.

Too often, intoxicated young people are afraid to call 911 at the signs of a medical emergency because they fear legal repercussions. The passage of this bill will effectively remedy those common fears and save lives.

The bill now moves to the Governor where we expect it will be signed in to law. Once signed, Oregon will become the 18th state to enact a Medical Amnesty law.

HB 4094 was sponsored by Representative Margaret Doherty and has an additional 11 co-sponsors. The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 30-0. The House of Representatives passed the bill by a vote of 57-0.

“This is an exciting and important step towards decreasing the number of young lives lost in Oregon each year to alcohol use,” said Aaron Letzeiser, Executive Director of The Medical Amnesty Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to the advocacy and education of this policy throughout the United States.

“While it is important to continue the fight against underage alcohol use in our communities, it is critical that we recognize that so many young people continue to drink. I don’t want any parent to lose a child because someone they were with was afraid of the legal repercussions of calling 911 for help.”

Source: The Medical Amnesty Initiative