Youngkin to consider bipartisan bills meant to tackle fentanyl overdose crisis

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- With the General Assembly session now over, several bipartisan bills lawmakers say are designed to reduce fentanyl overdoses are now in the hands of Governor Glenn Youngkin.

The General Assembly passed two identical bills to charge anyone who knowingly deals fentanyl that leads to an overdose death with involuntary manslaughter.

“At the end of the day, the goal is to get dangerous fentanyl dealers off the streets,” Delegate Josh Thomas (D-Prince William) told 8News.

If convicted of involuntary manslaughter, dealers would face 1-10 years in prison on top of the 5-40 years they already face for dealing fentanyl.

“Manslaughter is defined as being a criminally negligent act and we know that the selling of fentanyl, while you know you are selling fentanyl, but maybe you did not intend to kill a person, if it results in their death that’s negligence,” Thomas explained.

Lawmakers also passed identical bills that would require all K-12 schools in Virginia to notify parents within 24 hours of a suspected drug overdose at their child’s school.

“Fentanyl has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans, thousands of Virginians and it's a problem for young children too, very sadly,” Senator Glen Sturtevant (R-Colonial Heights) told 8News.

The legislation codifies into state law a previous Executive Order issued by Governor Youngkin.

"If there is, in fact, an overdose that happens at a school we want those parents whose children are closest to it to know very quickly -- within 24 hours -- so they can have a conversation with their child about the potential dangers and how deadly fentanyl is,” Sturtevant said.

Youngkin has until March 24 to consider any of the fentanyl-related legislation passed by the General Assembly.