This week, the Alabama House of Representatives passed legislation to require K-12 public schools to include prevention education about the dangers of fentanyl and drug poisoning.
Sponsored by State Rep. Joe Lovvorn (R-Auburn), the bill requires that public schools provide research-based educational information about the dangers of opioids – the nation’s number one killer of teens and young adults.
“HB280 is a bill that affects all of our districts in Alabama,” said Rep. Lovvorn. “It affects many of us personally. Under existing law, public K-12 schools’ drug and alcohol prevention programs are required to provide certain information and instruction. This bill would require research-based instruction on fentanyl and drug poisoning prevention and poisoning to be provided to students in grades 6 through 12.”
The Price Hornsby Act, named after 17-year-old Price Hornsby who lost his life due to a tragic fentanyl poisoning, passed unanimously.
“This bill when you are dealing with something that affects so many lives you have to personalize it, for people to realize the importance and significance; and we have named this the Price Hornsby Act,” Lovvorn said.
“Just a little note from Price. He passed away in March of 2021. He was a student at Auburn high school that graduated early and was waiting to take the steps to possibly join serving in our military through the Space Academy. His life was taken short and too quick. His parents certainly wanted to make sure that his name lives on and moves forward and had a legacy that might prevent this from happening for other families that might have this tragedy and we are honored to have in our gallery Ray and Leigh Hornsby and their many gathered family and friends.”
The House of Representatives applauded the Hornsbys and their supporters in the House gallery.
“We want you to know that we are with you, we are listening, and we are working to try to prevent this from happening for other families,” Lovvorn said. “And thank you for the legacy that Price’s legacy will live on.”
95 members of the House cosponsored the bill.
“The loss of Price Hornsby has been a devastating blow to our community, and it underscores the urgent need for comprehensive drug education and prevention strategies,” said Rep. Lovvorn in a statement. “By introducing the Price Hornsby Act, we aim to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future and ensure that our children are educated about the lethal risks associated with fentanyl.”
Former State Rep. Perry O. Hooper Jr. (R-Montgomery) is a board member of the Tucker Project, whose mission is to raise awareness of fentanyl and the growing number of drug overdose deaths in this country.
“As the bill now moves to the Alabama Senate, it is imperative that our state senators heed the call to action and follow in the footsteps of their House colleagues by passing this crucial piece of legislation,” said Hooper. “The urgency of the fentanyl crisis demands no less. The time to act is now.”
Over 110,000 Americans were killed by drug overdoses in 2023 alone.
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