S. 921 – Tyler’s Law

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 30, 2026 at 4:11 AM UTC

Tyler’s Law requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to study how hospital emergency departments currently test for fentanyl and related substances in overdose cases, and then issue guidance on whether such testing should become routine. The study must be completed within three years and cover frequency, costs, benefits, privacy concerns, staff training needs, and barriers. Within nine months after the study, HHS must publish guidance for hospitals on implementing fentanyl testing, informing clinicians, and using federal resources. The bill mainly affects emergency departments, overdose patients, and health‑care providers.

Key Provisions

Conduct a comprehensive study, to be finished no later than three years after enactment, on current fentanyl testing practices, costs, benefits, privacy impacts, training needs, and implementation barriers in hospital emergency departments.
Issue formal guidance, within nine months after the study, on whether fentanyl testing should be routine for overdose patients and how hospitals can ensure clinicians know which substances are being tested.
Include in the guidance recommendations on how testing may affect future overdose risk, health outcomes, and a list of federal resources to help hospitals adopt testing.
Define “hospital emergency department” to include both hospital‑based and independent freestanding emergency departments.

Legislative Activity

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8 earlier actions

HouseFloor Latest Action

Held at the desk.

March 24, 2026 • 2:11 PM

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

March 10, 2025

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

March 10, 2025

SenateCommittee

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

January 15, 2026

SenateCommittee

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Cassidy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

January 28, 2026

SenateCalendars

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 307.

January 28, 2026

SenateFloor

Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S1559-1560; text: CR S1559-1560)

March 23, 2026

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

March 24, 2026

HouseFloor

Received in the House.

March 24, 2026 • 2:02 PM

HouseFloor

Held at the desk.

March 24, 2026 • 2:11 PM

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 921 on the floor

1 Republican

Sen. James LankfordR-OK · Mar 23, 2026

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 307, S. 921. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported…

Bill Text

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Engrossed in SenateIssued March 23, 2026

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 921

AN ACT

To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on whether hospital emergency departments should implement fentanyl testing as a routine procedure for patients experiencing an overdose, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as Tyler’s Law.

2.

Testing for fentanyl in hospital emergency departments

(a)

Study

Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and in coordination with other Federal departments, agencies, or stakeholders, as appropriate, shall complete a study to determine—

(1)

how frequently hospital emergency departments test for fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances when a patient is experiencing an overdose, and test for other controlled substances related to such an overdose;

(2)

scenarios in which hospital emergency departments do not administer tests for fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances when a patient is experiencing an overdose, or for other controlled substances related to such an overdose;

(3)

the costs associated with such testing for fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances;

(4)

the potential benefits and risks for patients receiving such testing for fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances;

(5)

potential staff training needs to support testing for fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances;

(6)

how testing for fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances in hospital emergency departments may impact the experience of the patient, including—

(A)

protections for the privacy and security of the patient’s protected health information (as defined in section 160.103 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulations)) under part 160 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations, and subparts C and E of part 164 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulations); and

(B)

the patient-health care professional relationship; and

(7)

barriers that hospital emergency departments may encounter when trying to implement testing for fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances and recommendations on how best to address those barriers.

(b)

Guidance

Not later than 9 months after completion of the study under subsection (a), based on the results of such study, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and in coordination with other Federal departments, agencies, or stakeholders, as appropriate, shall issue guidance on the following:

(1)

Whether hospital emergency departments should implement testing for fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances as a routine procedure for patients experiencing an overdose.

(2)

How hospitals can ensure that health care professionals in their hospital emergency departments are aware of which substances are being tested for in their routinely-administered drug tests, regardless of whether those tests screen for fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances.

(3)

How the administration of testing for fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances in hospital emergency departments may affect the future risk of overdose and health outcomes.

(4)

Available Federal resources that can assist hospital emergency departments in implementing testing for fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances.

(c)

Definitions

In this section, the term hospital emergency department means an emergency department of a hospital or an independent freestanding emergency department (as such terms are defined in section 2799A–1(a)(3) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg–111(a)(3))).

Passed the Senate March 23, 2026.

Secretary