HERO Act

Bill Number

H.R. 7994

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Education

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-06-25: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

Last Updated

2026-06-27T08:06:49Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Helping Educators Respond to Overdoses Act (HERO Act), H.R. 7994, aims to equip schools with opioid overdose reversal drugs (like Naloxone), enhance emergency preparedness, and improve tracking of drug distributions in educational settings to combat the opioid crisis.

Key Provisions

• Grant Program (Sec. 2):
• The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and in consultation with the Secretary of Education, awards competitive 1-year grants starting 90 days after enactment.
• Grants fund:
• Purchase of FDA-approved opioid overdose reversal drugs.
• Development of educational programs on CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), drug-use prevention, intervention, and overdose responses.
• Eligible applicants: Private elementary/secondary schools, local educational agencies (LEAs, school districts), charter schools, or consortia of LEAs.
• Application requires:
• Use-of-funds description.
• Assurances for comprehensive emergency response plans (developed with local health departments).
• Educational programming commitments.
• Priority: Given to entities in cities/counties with high opioid overdose rates.
• Reporting: Grant recipients report usage, plans, and programs 1 year after grant ends; HHS submits annual summaries to Congress starting 2 years post-enactment.

• Reporting Requirement (Sec. 3):
• Starting 90 days after enactment, schools receiving federal funds (private elementary/secondary, LEAs, charters) must report any distribution of opioid reversal drugs to:
• National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS): A national database for EMS data.
• Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP): A tool for mapping overdose incidents in high-drug-trafficking areas.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Introduces a new grant program for opioid reversal drugs and school education, not previously mandated.
• Imposes new federal reporting obligations on federally funded schools to specific national systems (NEMSIS and ODMAP), expanding overdose surveillance in educational environments.
• No direct amendments to prior laws, but builds on definitions from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: HHS and Department of Education gain new grant administration and reporting duties; increased data collection via NEMSIS/ODMAP may improve national overdose tracking.
• Citizens: Students, staff, and communities (especially in high-overdose areas) benefit from better access to life-saving drugs, emergency plans, and awareness programs, potentially reducing overdose deaths in schools.
• Schools: Enhanced preparedness but added administrative burdens for applications, planning, and reporting.
• No direct impacts on international relations.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Schools and Educators: Private/public elementary/secondary schools, LEAs, and charters must apply for grants, develop plans, and report distributions if federally funded.
• Students and School Communities: Gain protection via drugs, training, and education.
• Local Health Departments: Consulted on emergency plans.
• Federal Agencies: HHS (grant oversight, reporting), Department of Education (consultation), and operators of NEMSIS/ODMAP.
• Congress: Receives annual reports for oversight.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Creates enforceable reporting mandates tied to federal funding, with potential non-compliance risks (e.g., loss of funds); emphasizes FDA-approved drugs only.
• Constitutional: No apparent challenges; aligns with Congress's spending power for grants and public health.
• Political: Targets opioid epidemic in schools, promoting proactive response without new mandates on non-federally funded entities; prioritizes high-risk areas for equitable resource allocation.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-25]

Recent Actions

• 2026-06-25: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
• 2026-06-25: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
• 2026-03-19: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
• 2026-03-19: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2026-03-19: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2026-03-19: Introduced in House
• 2026-03-19: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Helping Educators Respond to Overdoses Act — issued 2026-03-19 — PDF (7 pages)