Eureka City Council Temporarily Bans Syringe Exchange Operated by HACHR
Eureka City Councilmembers Leslie Castellano (left) and Austin Allison | Screenshots from Eureka City Council meeting held vis Zoom
After hours of deliberation and hearing from over 60 public speakers during a special meeting Thursday night, the Eureka City Council voted to temporarily ban syringe exchange programs (SEPs) in the city until it can draft new rules to regulate them.
The vote was 3-2, with Councilmembers Leslie Castellano and Natalie Arroyo dissenting, to repeal a resolution adopted by the council in 2016 that supports the operation of SEPs and replace it with a new resolution that prohibits SEPs until the city can establish a syringe exchange ordinance. The temporary ban becomes effective on Dec. 16.