April 25, 2023, Harrisburg Pa – Today, The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to move Senate Bill 165, Senator Tartaglione’s Safe Injection Site Ban out of committee and to the full Senate by a bipartisan vote of 11-3.
“Day in and day out I hear from my constituents about their opposition to safe injection sites,” said Senator Tartaglione. “I introduced Senate Bill 165 because I see the pain and suffering addiction causes every day in my district, and I believe it is imperative Pennsylvania be in the business of helping people access recovery, not empower addiction.”
Senate Bill 165 will prohibit the establishment of safe injection sites and supervised consumption sites across Pennsylvania. The legislation will not impact other harm reduction efforts including clean needle exchanges and medication assisted treatment.
“As legislators we are tasked with making our constituents voices heard in the halls of power in Harrisburg. When 40 community organizations from across Philadelphia filed amicus briefs in US vs Safehouse, they made their voices loud and clear in saying ‘Philadelphia does not want supervised consumption facilities in our city.’ We must listen to the groups doing the work in our neighborhoods and communities and take them at their word,” added Senator Tartaglione.
Senator Tartaglione, who is in long-term recovery from an alcohol addiction reintroduced Senate Bill 165 this session after no action was taken on the legislation last session. Senator Tartaglione, who has been sober for more than 20 years, uses her experience with addiction and recovery as well as her connections in the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery space to help her drive legislative priorities.
Senate Bill 165 is now in the full Senate where a vote is expected to be held as early as next week.
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