The Georgia Council for Recovery joins with our friends in the Georgia General Assembly in support of bi-partisan efforts to address the fentanyl overdose epidemic across Georgia. There is no community more dedicated to finding the right answer to the fentanyl epidemic because no community has been impacted more.
The Georgia Council for Recovery welcomes a diversity of stakeholder voices to this discussion. We thank our elected officials for discussing this critical issue. As important as all voices and perspectives are, no voice is more relevant than the voice of lived experience – the voice of the survivors of the disease at the heart of this epidemic.
The General Assembly has SB 465 “Austin’s Law” before it as we approach Sine Die. The Georgia Council for Recovery understands, as only survivors can understand, the urgency of “doing something” to address the fentanyl epidemic.
The Georgia Council for Recovery believes people in active addiction are not criminals rather, they are good people with a bad disease. Our laws and our state government must serve people in active addiction – not criminalize them.
The Georgia Council for Recovery supports a Do Pass for SB 465 “Austin’s Law”in its current version, as passed by the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee. The Georgia Council for Recovery thanks Senator Russ Goodman and Representative James Burchett for their leadership on this important legislation. SB 465 “Austin’s Law” has been amended in numerous public hearings in both chambers of the General Assembly. SB 465 “Austin’s Law” serves as a balanced effort to allow families who have lost a loved one the opportunity to have the justice system honor their memory.
There are few issues being debated under the Gold Dome more serious than the addiction crisis. The Georgia Council for Recovery continues to partner with anyone who will address this important issue and look forward to working from the beginning of the process to bring the voice of lived experience to the discussion.
