ALBANY, NY (February 25, 2025) — Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-Westchester), Chair of the Assembly Health Committee, announced that her bill requiring opioid antagonists to be available in workplaces for emergency use has been signed into law by Kathy Hochul (Ch. 621 of 2025 and Ch. 17 of 2026).
The legislation amends Section 27-f of the New York State Labor Law to require that all employers mandated by the United States Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to have first aid supplies also have an opioid antagonist readily available.
“No one should die from an overdose at work when we have the tools to prevent it,” Paulin said. “Opioid overdoses stop breathing, but drugs like Narcan are quick and easy to administer and can restore breathing within minutes. The key is that it’s nearby and accessible. This legislation is a common-sense workplace safety measure that will save lives.”
For more than a decade, drug overdose deaths have been on the rise in New York State. In 2020, opioid overdose deaths increased by 44 percent, and since then more than 20,000 New Yorkers have died from overdose. Many of these tragedies, Paulin said, are preventable.
Opioid antagonists, such as naloxone, commonly known by the brand name Narcan, attach to opioid receptors in the nervous system and block the effect of opioids. When administered in a timely manner, the antagonist can restore normal breathing in a person experiencing an overdose and save their life. Naloxone is administered via a nasal spray and will not harm someone who is not suffering from an opioid overdose.
“Too many lives have been lost to opioid overdose, and what makes them more heartbreaking is that so many could have been prevented if someone nearby had access to an opioid antagonist in those crucial moments,” Paulin said.
State Sen. Nathalia Fernandez, who sponsored the bill in the Senate, said, “With S5922/A2725 being signed into law, we can now ensure that people experiencing an overdose in the workplace have a higher likelihood chance of surviving. By requiring opioid antagonists like naloxone to be readily available, we are keeping people prepared in the case of emergencies. Often with overdose, the first few minutes are key in saving a person’s life. By putting lifesaving medicine within arm’s reach, in the same way we require fire extinguishers and AEDs to be available, we will curb the number of overdose deaths in New York.”
Lorraine Martin, CEO of the National Safety Council, said, “The National Safety Council applauds New York State Assemblywoman Paulin for championing legislation into state law that will help save lives from opioid overdose. With overdose causing one in 10 deaths on the job, it is imperative that life-saving opioid overdose reversal medication be widely accessible.”
Charles King, Chief Executive Officer of Housing Works, said, “Opioid antagonists have been a game-changer in the opioid epidemic, reversing avoidable overdoses. Housing Works has seen first-hand the critical importance of ensuring ready access to this critical public health tool, which is available at every Housing Works location, program and workplace.”
“This could be the difference between tragedy and survival,” Paulin said. “We know that drug overdoses touch every corner of our state, including our workplaces. By having these drugs onsite, we’re empowering coworkers to act quickly in an emergency and helping more New Yorkers survive.”
The legislation goes into effect one year from enactment.
This article was prepared with the assistance of AI tools under the direction and editing of Robert Cox.