36-2228. Administration of opioid antagonists; training; immunity; designation by director; definition

A. Pursuant to a standing order issued by a physician licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 13 or 17 or a nurse practitioner licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 15 and authorized by law to prescribe drugs, an emergency medical care technician, peace officer or ancillary law enforcement employee who is trained in the administration of naloxone hydrochloride or any other opioid antagonist that is approved by the United States food and drug administration and designated by the director may administer naloxone hydrochloride or another opioid antagonist to a person who the emergency medical care technician, peace officer or ancillary law enforcement employee believes is suffering from an opioid-related drug overdose.

B. The department, in coordination with the Arizona peace officer standards and training board, shall develop a training module for emergency medical care technicians, peace officers and ancillary law enforcement employees that provides training regarding the identification of a person suffering from an opioid-related drug overdose and the use of naloxone hydrochloride or other opioid antagonists.

C. Physicians who are licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 13 or 17 and who issue a standing order, nurse practitioners who are licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 15 and authorized by law to prescribe drugs and who issue a standing order and emergency medical care technicians, peace officers and ancillary law enforcement employees who administer naloxone hydrochloride or any other opioid antagonist pursuant to this section are immune from professional liability and criminal prosecution for any decision made, act or omission or injury that results from that act if those persons act with reasonable care and in good faith, except in cases of wanton or wilful neglect.  This section does not create a duty to act or standard of care for peace officers or ancillary law enforcement employees to administer an opioid antagonist.

D. The director shall designate opioid antagonists that may be used pursuant to this section based on an evaluation of the opioid antagonist's safety and efficacy.

E. For the purposes of this section, "ancillary law enforcement employee" means a detention officer, a probation or surveillance officer, a police aide or assistant, a crime scene specialist, a crime laboratory employee or any other type of law enforcement employee or employee of the state department of corrections who is authorized by the person's employing agency to administer naloxone hydrochloride or any other opioid antagonist that is approved by the United States food and drug administration and designated by the director pursuant to this section.