SACRAMENTO – Today, Assemblymember Juan Alanis announced that AB 1859, aimed at tackling the rise in Tranq overdoses, has been signed into law by the Governor.
“My district has already had several Tranq overdoses, and I’m glad my bill to tackle this problem was signed by the Governor,” said Assemblymember Alanis. “This bill is an important step in dealing with the opioid crisis and the new threat of Tranq. We need to act now to stop this from getting worse.”
Xylazine, commonly known as Tranq, is a potent and addictive drug whose effects cannot be reversed with naloxone. AB 1859 requires coroners to test for xylazine in the bodily fluids of individuals who have died from suspected opioid overdoses. This measure will provide essential data to identify trends, allocate resources, and develop targeted interventions to combat this new threat.
“Tranq is a serious challenge, and waiting until it becomes widespread is not an option,” added Assemblymember Alanis. “We need to address this issue head-on to prevent it from becoming as severe as the fentanyl crisis.”
AB 1859 will go into effect on January 1, 2025. It is the 14th Alanis authored bill signed into law in his first term. Two more Alanis bills remain with the Governor for his review and consideration. All remaining bills must have action taken by no later than September 30th, 2024.
Assemblymember Juan Alanis represents the 22nd Assembly District, which includes the communities of Modesto, Turlock, Ceres, Denair, Patterson, Gustine, Newman, Hilmar, Ballico, Snelling, Keyes, Grayson, Crows Landing, Diablo Grande, Stevinson, & Empire.