California has enacted Assembly Bill 2150, requiring certain employees who are required by their employer to maintain cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification to also complete training on the use of naloxone and other opioid overdose reversal medications. The law becomes effective January 1, 2027.
Background
California has recently expanded efforts to address opioid overdoses in both emergency-response and workplace settings. Existing law already requires certain public safety agencies that provide 911 call-processing services to provide prearrival instructions regarding naloxone administration for suspected opioid overdoses. Existing law also directs state agencies to develop training and workplace standards relating to overdose reversal medications.
AB 2150 builds on those efforts by requiring opioid-overdose-response training for certain employees who are already required to obtain CPR certification as part of their employment.
New Naloxone Training Requirement
Beginning January 1, 2027, an employer operating in California that requires employees to obtain CPR certification training must also require those employees to complete an online video module training on the use of naloxone to help increase opioid overdose reversals.
The requirement applies only when the employer already requires CPR certification. The law does not create a standalone obligation for employers to require CPR certification where none previously exists.
Training Content and Standards
AB 2150 requires the training to be provided through an online video module.
The Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) must review and approve the training modules to ensure that the content meets minimum state standards.
Employers subject to the law will therefore need to ensure that any naloxone training used for compliance has been approved by EMSA.
Covered Employers
The law applies broadly to employers operating in California that require employees to maintain CPR certification.
Employees Impacted
The law primarily affects employees who are already required by their employer to obtain CPR certification, which may include:
- Safety personnel;
- First-aid responders;
- Healthcare workers;
- Teachers and childcare personnel;
- Fitness and recreation staff;
- Security personnel; and
- Other employees whose positions require CPR training.
Relationship to Other Workplace Opioid Requirements
AB 2150 complements other California efforts addressing workplace opioid overdose preparedness.
Separately, California law requires state workplace safety regulators to consider standards that would require workplace first-aid supplies to include naloxone or another FDA-approved opioid antagonist and instructions for its use. AB 2150 focuses instead on employee training and education regarding overdose reversal.
Enforcement
The legislation provides that violations may be enforceable through existing statutory mechanisms. The legislative digest notes that because violations are incorporated into a statutory framework carrying criminal penalties, the legislation may create a state-mandated local program.
Employer Takeaway
Effective January 1, 2027, California employers that require employees to maintain CPR certification must also require those employees to complete an EMSA-approved online training module regarding naloxone use and opioid overdose reversal. Employers should review current CPR-certification programs and training requirements before the effective date and determine which employees will need the additional naloxone training.