Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signs law allowing murder charge for some fentanyl deaths

AUSTIN, TX. (NBC) - Governor Greg Abbott was joined by lawmakers and family members who held up signs of loved ones who lost their lives to the drug.

The governor signed four bills into law, including one that will allow prosecutors to seek a murder charge in connection with fentanyl-related deaths.

One of the pieces of legislation will also add “Fentanyl poisoning” or “Fentanyl toxicity” on a death certificate if a lethal amount of the substance is found in a toxicology report.

School districts across the state will also have to provide yearly instruction about fentanyl abuse and poisoning prevention, which is part of tucker’s law that a Williamson County mother who lost her son pushed this session.

“My son wanted to be remembered, but I guarantee this is not what he wanted nor what I had envisioned,” said Stephanie Turner. “After four months of sobriety he made a terrible decision, and he purchased a pill on social media. He was found dead 10 hours later.”

The governor added his signature to three other bills, including one designating October as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month and another requiring Texas colleges and universities to have narcan on campuses.

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