The 911 Lifeline Law

The 911 Lifeline Law focuses mainly on alcohol emergencies involving underage people.

Goal:
To encourage young people to call for emergency medical assistance during an alcohol-related emergency without fear of underage drinking charges. 

What it does:

• Provides limited immunity from prosecution for certain underage alcohol offenses when someone seeks emergency medical help for an alcohol-related emergency.
  
  

Who it Protects:

• • The underage person who is the first person to call 911

  • The person experiencing an alcohol related emergency

  • In some cases, one or two additional underage individuals who assist and cooperate
    
    

To receive protection, the caller must:

• • Be the first person call 911

  • Provide their name to the dispatcher

  • Stay with the person needing assistance

  • Cooperate with police and medical responders.

Does not provide immunity for:

• Driving under the influence (DUI/DWI)

• Providing or distributing alcohol to minors

• Other unrelated criminal offenses

Impact on Youth:

• Encourages students to seek emergency medical help immediately.

• Reduces fear of punishment for calling 911

• Increases the likelihood that students will call for help during alcohol poisoning emergencies instead of hiding the situation. 

• Helps prevent serious injury deaths from excessive drinking.

The Overdose Prevention Act

The Overdose Prevention Act focuses mainly on drug overdoses (especially opioids).

Goal:
To encourage people to call 911 during overdose emergencies without fear of arrest for minor drug possession offenses and to facilitate life-saving medical treatment. 

What it does:

• Provides “Good Samaritan” protections so people who call for help during a drug overdose

• Protects certain people from arrest, charge, prosecution, and conviction for minor drug possession offenses when evidence of drug possession is found because someone called help during an overdose emergency.

• Allows naloxone (Narcan) to be administered to reverse opioid overdoses.

Who it Protects:

• The person who calls for medical assistance

• The person experiencing the overdose

To receive immunity, individuals must:

• Seeks medical assistance in good faith

• Believe the person is experiencing an overdose and needs help

• Have any evidence of drug possession or use offenses discovered as a result of seeking emergency assistance.

Limitations:
Does not provide immunity for all crimes. Individuals may still be arrested for:

• Drug manufacturing or distribution

• Other unrelated criminal offenses

• Driving under the influence (DUI/DWI)

• Drug-induced death charges in certain situations

Impact on Youth:

• Allows schools and other community settings to keep naloxone (Narcan) on site

• NJ schools must develop policies and procedures for storing and administering naloxone (Narcan)

• Increases chances of surviving an opioid overdose

• Encourages young people to seek help in drug emergencies