Portantino’s Student Refugee and Youth Opioid Epidemic Bills Pass Senate Education Committee

For Immediate Release: March 20, 2024

Contact: Lerna Shirinian, (818) 409-0400

Portantino’s Student Refugee and Youth Opioid Epidemic Bills Pass Senate Education Committee

Sacramento, CA – Senate Bills 971 and 997, authored by Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – Burbank), passed the Senate Education Committee today. SB 971 would make higher education more affordable for low income refugees by exempting them from paying the nonresident tuition fee. SB 997 helps tackle the opioid epidemic and drug related overdoses among our youth by allowing students to carry fentanyl test strips and schools to provide Narcan nasal spray to students.

SB 971:

Due to a growing number of regional conflicts throughout the world, many individuals seek safe haven through immigration to the United States and establish residency in California. These individuals often turn to education to improve their lives and become full participants in our communities. Ineligibility for financial aid can make the cost of college disproportionately higher and unaffordable.  Glendale Community College (GCC) Student Trustee Elin Gharibian gave strong committee testimony today in support. GCC is a sponsor of the bill. 

SB 971 would exempt from the nonresident tuition fee a nonresident, low-income student who is a resident of a region impacted by war or other regional conflict and registers for lower division courses at a community college. The measure requires the governing boards of community colleges that choose to use this exemption to adopt one uniform policy to determine a student’s residence classification, establish procedures for an appeal and review of the residence classification, and determine whether a student is low income.

“Far too many young people have been forcibly uprooted from their homeland and reside in California where they strengthen our state and contribute positively to our economy,” stated Senator Portantino. “Recently, I attended a successful event at Glendale Community College, specifically designed to support students from Artsakh. It was both emotional and educational. Helping young people attain a higher education degree is the sensible and nurturing thing to do and I am grateful to my friends at GCC for bringing this bill idea to me.”

A large number of Armenians were displaced from Artsakh, which totaled more than 100,000 individuals, even prior to the escalations in the conflict in 2023. California is home to a large diaspora of Armenian people and will continue to see the immigration of individuals seeking safety.

“The Armenian Students Association of Glendale Community College wholeheartedly supports SB 971, a crucial step in providing equitable educational opportunities for refugee students impacted by world conflicts,” stated Amaras Issagholian, President of the Armenian Students Association of Glendale Community College. “This bill demonstrates our commitment to inclusivity, recognizing refugees' hardships when escaping from violence, and holding open arms to those in pursuit of a promised land where opportunity and happiness exist for them too. Together, we can and must build a brighter future for those who seek refuge while paving the path to greater prosperity.”

 “Glendale Community College is proud to sponsor this bill that will bring much needed support to our community. As a Board, we have a responsibility to meet the needs of those who are facing financial hardship. Seeing an influx of those impacted by regional conflicts, this bill supports the full integration of refugee students into our community as well as our local economy,” stated Dr. Sevan Benlian, Board President of Glendale Community College.

“Part of our mission is to build a sense of belonging within our community and serve all students by creating an educational environment where they can take the next steps toward the future,” said Dr. Ryan Cornner, Superintendent/President of Glendale Community College. “Glendale has a history supporting recent immigrant communities. In turn, these populations have become cornerstones in our community. This bill will allow us to more effectively meet the needs of our community and ensure that we fulfill our mission.”

SB 997:

According to the California Department of Public Health, in 2022 there were over 7,000 opioid related deaths, with fentanyl poisoning accounting for approximately 88% of deaths. Among young people ages, fentanyl poisoning accounted for 640 out of 807 deaths by opioid overdose.

SB 997 would permit students in middle and high schools to carry a federally approved naloxone hydro-chloride nasal spray. The bill would also require public middle schools and high schools to provide fentanyl test strips and to notify students about its presence and location.

“SB 997 implements more preventative measures to help avoid opioid related deaths in high schools,” stated Senator Portantino. “Fentanyl test strips, which typically give results within 5 minutes and Narcan, which is safe and easy to use and works almost immediately, saves lives.”

The bill idea came out of the Senator’s summer internship program, where each intern in the Senate office has the opportunity to research subject areas and propose bill ideas directly to Senator Portantino.

“Although Narcan can swiftly counteract the effects of opioid overdoses, I’m thrilled at the prospects of offering a different approach that eliminates the need for Narcan altogether,” Libby Paquette, a former intern in Senator Portantino’s office who presented the bill idea. “Recognizing that kids still use drugs despite the high number of Fentanyl overdoses, my logic behind providing test strips is to present the opportunity to avoid drugs contaminated with Fentanyl entirely. I believe test strips will help save lives when Narcan isn’t available.”

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It is nearly impossible to tell if drugs have been laced with fentanyl unless you test your drugs with.

“Protecting our youth in the midst of an opioid crisis should be a top priority for all Californians,” stated Tara Gamboa-Eastman, Director of Government Affairs for the Steinberg Institute. “We need to make sure all tools in the toolkit are available to prevent needless deaths. This bill saves lives and puts our kids first at a time when they desperately need our support.”

###