H.R. 1257 — OPIOIDS Act

This section establishes the short title of the Act as the “Overcoming Prevalent Inadequacies in Overdose Information Data Sets Act” or the “OPIOIDS Act.”

This section establishes a grant program under which the Attorney General may award grants to States, territories, and localities to improve data collection and surveillance on opioid-related overdoses. As background, the provision targets the systems used to identify and track overdose deaths and related criminal activity, including postmortem toxicology testing, data linkage across data systems throughout the United States, electronic death reporting, and the completeness of fatal opioid-overdose data.

This section expands the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant purposes under 34 U.S.C. § 10381 by adding a new authorized use of funds for training and resources for containment devices to prevent secondary exposure to fentanyl and other substances for first responders. (Thus, COPS grants may support equipment and training intended to reduce first responders’ exposure to dangerous drugs during overdose and drug-enforcement responses.)

This section directs the Drug Enforcement Administration to develop uniform reporting standards for entering purity, formulation, and weight data into the National Forensic Laboratory Information System to improve comparisons across jurisdictions and between agencies and to facilitate data sharing. It also clarifies that this requirement may not be construed to create any new or increased obligations or reporting requirements for State or local laboratories.

This section directs the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to include, as part of the annual budget process, a separate line item for the funding needed for the Fentanyl Signature Profiling Program. (Thus, Congress would receive a distinct funding request for the program each year rather than a general or consolidated request.)