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Three years ago, the state passed a law that encourages people to summon help when they are in danger or see someone else in trouble. Police and emergency workers say this “Good Samaritan’’ law is saving lives. (Griffith, 4/11)

Assemblywoman Susan Talamantes Eggman’s AB 186 would authorize governments in eight counties to test “safe injection sites” in areas with heavy opioid consumption. Adults could bring drugs they had already obtained and use them with clean needles and emergency care available. (Koseff, 4/11)

With more than 30,000 West Virginians already in drug treatment, lawmakers struggling with the state's addiction crisis have voted to spend $24 million from recent court settlements with opioid distributors to increase inpatient beds. The bill passed by the House and Senate and awaiting Gov. Jim Justice's consideration would authorize the Department of Health and Human Resources to ensure that treatment beds are available in the highest priority areas throughout the state. (Virtanen, 4/11)

Prescribers now have an updated system to search for patient records and help prevent drug addiction. Appriss Health's system went live this month. It replaced the Michigan Automatic Prescription System that prescribers had used since 2003. The Legislature last year allocated $4.5 million to begin replacing the old system and provide routine maintenance. President of Appriss Health Rob Cohen said the project began in last October and went live on April 4. Some of the new features include faster record response times, less than five minutes. Before it would take anywhere from five to ten minutes to get data for users. (Ehrmann, 4/11)

Florida Gov. Rick Scott announced steps to begin combating the state's rising opioid usage cases on Tuesday, but stopped short of declaring a public health emergency as he has done in other cases. Scott said during a news conference that he is directing three state organizations to hold workshops statewide. The state's Department of Children and Families, Department of Health and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will hold workshops in Palm Beach, Duval, Manatee and Orange counties. Scott spokeswoman Jackie Schutz said the schedule is expected to be announced in the coming weeks. (Reedy, 4/11)

Florida's Department of Health, Department of Children and Families and Department of Law Enforcement will in the coming weeks begin workshops in Palm Beach, Manatee, Duval and Orange counties. Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the initiative, a deal with drug companies to provide Narcan spray and their support for legislation related to the opioid crisis at an event in the state Capitol on Tuesday. (Auslen, 4/11)