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April 18, 2026 Clouds | 54°F
The 194th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Bill S.1057 194th (Current)

An Act relative to fentanyl test strips

By Ms. Creem, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1057) of Cynthia Stone Creem for legislation relative to fentanyl test strips. The Judiciary.

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Bill Information

Presenter:
Cynthia Stone Creem
Status:
Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means
Special Attachments:
Committee - Senate member votes
The bill is a commonsense strategy that would help prevent overdoses by legalizing the sale and distribution of fentanyl test strips and other equipment that people can use to identify substances that are laced with the deadly opioid. Under current Massachusetts law, fentanyl strips fall within the definition of drug paraphernalia, so selling or distributing them could be a crime. As a result, police departments and harm reduction organizations that are interested in distributing fentanyl test strips are concerned that doing so would subject them to criminal or civil liability. The bill would amend the definition of “drug paraphernalia” to specifically exclude fentanyl test strips and other equipment used to identify fentanyl or its analogues. The bill also seeks to address concerns about liability by including a Good Samaritan provision that shields anyone who provides or administers fentanyl test strips or similar testing equipment in good faith from civil or criminal liability, or from professional disciplinary action. Massachusetts already has a similar Good Samaritan law to shield people who administer naloxone from liability.
* The bill summary was created by the Primary Sponsor of the bill; no committee of the General Court certifies the accuracy of its contents.

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