Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act
- Bill Number
- S. 1098
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-07-28: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 127.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-10T15:30:55Z
AI-Generated Summary
Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act (S. 1098)
Purpose
This legislation aims to improve the tracking of opioid overdoses by expanding the use of grants to develop and implement data collection tools. It focuses on near real-time monitoring of fatal and nonfatal overdoses, as well as the use of opioid reversal medications (like naloxone), through user-friendly, web-based and mobile software platforms. The goal is to promote better coordination among public safety, health, and emergency services while ensuring these tools work together across different systems.
Key Provisions
- Grant Program Expansion: Amends the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Grant Program under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to include funding for "overdose data collection programs." These programs allow eligible recipients to create tools, such as mobile mapping apps, to quickly record overdose locations and reversal medication use by first responders (e.g., police, firefighters, and paramedics).
- Eligibility and Requirements:
- Eligible applicants include states, local governments, Indian tribes, and coalitions of law enforcement agencies (with coalitions limited to this specific purpose).
- Programs must support coordinated responses from public safety, behavioral health, and public health sectors; target high-risk areas; ensure compatibility (interoperability) with existing federal, state, local, tribal, and coalition tools; and share collected data with relevant governments and coalitions.
- Application Process: Applicants must conduct an audit of existing data and resources to prevent duplication and include this audit in their grant application.
- Consultation Requirement: The U.S. Attorney General must consult with agency leaders who manage overdose data tools, including the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, when implementing the program.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Adds a new category (subparagraph I) to the list of allowable uses for grants under Section 3021(a)(1) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act, specifically for overdose data collection.
- Introduces a new subsection (g) detailing the overdose program, including definitions, eligibility for coalitions (previously not explicitly eligible for all grants), interoperability mandates, data-sharing rules, and audit requirements.
- Expands grant access for law enforcement coalitions but restricts it to this overdose tracking purpose, subjecting them to the same application and reporting rules as other recipients.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Enhances the ability of federal (e.g., Department of Justice), state, local, and tribal agencies to respond faster to overdose hotspots through shared, real-time data, potentially improving resource allocation for emergency services and prevention efforts.
- Citizens: Could lead to quicker interventions in overdose situations, saving lives via better-coordinated first responder actions and reversal medication use; may also inform public health campaigns in affected communities.
- International Relations: No direct impacts mentioned, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. programs.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Primary recipients of grants to build and implement data tools.
- Law Enforcement Coalitions and First Responders: Gain eligibility for funding and tools to track overdoses in the field.
- Public Health and Behavioral Health Organizations: Benefit from data sharing to support coordinated responses.
- Federal Agencies: Including the Department of Justice (grant administrator) and Office of National Drug Control Policy (consultation role), which will oversee expanded programs.
- Communities Impacted by Opioids: Residents in high-overdose areas may see improved emergency services.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens data privacy and interoperability standards by requiring audits and sharing, but does not specify new protections (applicants must comply with existing federal laws on data handling). No challenges to constitutional rights like privacy (Fourth Amendment) are introduced, as the focus is on aggregated location data for public safety.
- Constitutional: Aligns with federal spending power to fund state and local initiatives without mandating participation, preserving state sovereignty.
- Political: Bipartisan support (introduced by senators from both parties) reflects ongoing national priority on the opioid crisis; could influence future funding debates by integrating tech-driven solutions into crime and health policy, potentially setting a model for other public health emergencies.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (7)
Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA], Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN], Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX], Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT], Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE], Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ], Sen. Ossoff, Jon [D-GA]
Recent Actions
- 2025-07-28: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 127.
- 2025-07-28: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Grassley with an amendment. Without written report.
- 2025-07-28: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Grassley with an amendment. Without written report.
- 2025-07-24: Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- 2025-03-24: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2025-03-24: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act — issued 2025-03-24 — PDF (5 pages)
- Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act — issued 2025-07-28 — PDF (6 pages)