Ohio Valley ReSource
A federal judge in West Virginia has issued a temporary restraining order to stop a new state law that would put strict restrictions on needle exchange programs.
In a court filing issued Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Robert C. Chambers issued a temporary restraining order to block the implementation of
Senate Bill 334. Gov. Jim Justice signed the measure into law in April, with an effective date set for July 9.
The pending law doesn’t explicitly wipe out harm reduction programs, but would set standards that operators say could bar access to care.
Senate Bill 334 would require programs to apply and become licensed and would also limit the number of needles it hands out by requiring participants to return their used needles to get a clean one in exchange. It also would require participants to show state-issued identification.