Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R,C-Black River), who represents families across the Mohawk Valley and North Country, stood in solidarity today with Assemblyman Robert Smullen (R,C-Mohawk Valley and the Adirondacks) and a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers to promote Assembly Bill A.8540, also known as the “Fentanyl Fathers and Mothers Act.”

The legislation aims to create and implement a statewide Fentanyl Education, Awareness, and Recognition Program across all public, charter and private schools in New York. It will arm students with the knowledge needed to understand the dangers of fentanyl, counterfeit pills and synthetic opioids—substances that are devastating families across the state, particularly in rural and small-town communities like those Blankenbush represents.

“Too many parents in the North Country and Mohawk Valley have been blindsided by fentanyl, a drug so powerful and so easy to disguise that it’s claiming young lives before families even know there’s a problem,” said Blankenbush. “This bill is about prevention, education, and saving lives. It’s our responsibility to make sure students know what’s out there, what to avoid, and how to protect themselves.”

Blankenbush emphasized that the crisis is not limited to cities or urban areas: “This is happening in our schools, our neighborhoods and our towns. We need to empower students with the tools to recognize danger, make informed choices and understand that one mistake can be fatal.”

The bill also includes provisions to develop curriculum materials in collaboration with the Departments of Health and Education, ensure school personnel are equipped with lifesaving information and strategies and integrate real-world mental health and prevention components into classroom learning.

“As a parent, a legislator and someone deeply invested in the future of our region, I’m proud to support this commonsense, bipartisan proposal. We cannot wait until another child is lost,” said Blankenbush.