In response to the significant increase of heroin and opioid related overdoses and deaths in Illinois over the last 10 years, Majority Caucus Whip Iris Y. Martinez co-sponsored legislation this year that sought to combat heroin use. “Too many people in our state are overdosing on heroin, and I viewed this initiative as an important step in solving our epidemic,” Martinez said. “This bipartisan piece of legislation ensures that public safety professionals receive training on how to administer Narcan, which can save lives by reversing the effects of heroin overdose. Additionally, it helps addicts get the treatment they need and requires the State Board of Education to create a heroin and opioid drug prevention program for schools.”

When Governor Rauner vetoed House Bill 1, also known as the Heroin Crisis Act, Martinez joined her Democratic and Republican colleagues to override his veto. “Overriding the veto was a great example of lawmakers from both sides of the aisle coming together to address a problem plaguing our state,” Martinez said. There were over 70 heroin overdoses reported in the Chicago area last week, underscoring the severity of the problem and that overriding the governor’s veto was the right decision. Narcan was credited with saving dozens of lives during the string of overdoses. One of the objectives of the Heroin Crisis Act is to increase the availability of Narcan and provide training on how it can be properly administered. “This recent surge of overdoses is terrible, and I’m glad the legislature made sure the Heroin Crisis Act became law,” Martinez said. “If the governor had gotten his way, more lives would have been placed in jeopardy.”