Group rallies outside Capitol building supporting "good Samaritan" bill
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Group rallies outside Capitol building supporting "good Samaritan" bill

Date: March 5, 2013
By: Brendan Cullerton
State Capitol Bureau
Links: HB 296

Intro: 
A St. Louis group says drug addicts shouldn't be prosecuted if they call nine-one-one for an overdosed friend. They say they want state lawmakers to pass what they call the "good Samaritan law."
RunTime:  0:41
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap:

Actuality:  SAVELIF2.WAV
Run Time:  00:01
Description: ((NATS))

Protesters rallied outside the state Capitol to support a bill that would protect drug users who call nine-one-one for people who overdose.

After the rally, St. Louis resident Kathi Arbini stopped to say that her son died because a heroin user with him would not call police.

Actuality:  ARBINI.WAV
Run Time:  00:08
Description: "I feel that he was afraid he would be questioned. So if they would have taken him, i think we would still have our twenty-one-year-old son."

Republican Representative Bryan Spencer's bill would not protect callers who have enough drugs for distribution.

Opponents say the bill is too soft on drugs, and that users deserve whatever they get for taking the drugs.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Brendan Cullerton.

Intro: 
A state lawmaker says drug users should get of scot-free if they call nine-one-one for friends who overdose. A group supporting his bill rallied outside the state Capitol on Tuesday.
RunTime:  0:37
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Members of St. Louis Heroin Help rallied outside the state Capitol  ((NATS - SAVE MORE LIVES)) for what Republican Representative Bryan Spencer calls a "good Samaritan" bill.

The bill would protect drug users from criminal charges if they call nine-one-one for others who overdose.

St. Louis resident Kelly O'Connel says her son died because whoever was with him was too afraid to call police when her son overdosed.

Actuality:  OCONNEL.WAV
Run Time:  00:05
Description: "We know there was someone with him. If that person would have called nine-one-one my son possibly could be standing right here today."

Spencer says some people believe the measure is too soft in the war on drugs.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Brendan Cullerton.