Posted: | October 8, 2020 09:22 AM |
---|---|
From: | Representative Thomas P. Murt |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Data tracking of drug use, abuse and overdoses on college campuses |
The Clery Act is a federal law that attempts to provide transparency regarding campus crime. This law is a good start, but parents, loved ones, and students themselves, need even more information in the 21st century to make good decisions. Overdose deaths are now the leading cause of preventable death from injury in the United States. I will be introducing legislation that addresses the current lack of transparency at Pennsylvania’s colleges and universities regarding drug use and overdoses. We need a method of correlating data that can provide insights into a student’s overall health, and therefore prevent additional deaths. With the proper review and transparency, the reported data can become a critical tool to assist students and parents in making informed decisions in regard to successful student outcomes. Parents have access to multiple publications and avenues to determine the best academic and financial fit for their child during the college selection process and beyond. What is missing from such information is the factual data regarding overdoses and safety issues secondary to opioids and alcohol, which could assist them in making the best decision possible for their college student. I am proposing that additional data for a college or university, be made available to the public. The information would include:
The release of this data could lead to a decrease in alcohol and opioid abuse and fatalities on campuses around the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Please consider cosponsoring this important legislation. |
Introduced as HB2958