'Melanie's Law' aims to prevent fentanyl overdoses among youth at California schools

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The mother of a teen girl who died from a suspected fentanyl overdose at a Hollywood school is heading to Sacramento to urge lawmakers to pass a bill aimed at preventing overdoses among schoolchildren.

Elena Perez was outside LAUSD headquarters on Tuesday to announce she will testify before the state Senate Health Committee on Wednesday in support of Senate Bill 10, which will be known as "Melanie's Law," named after her daughter.

Fifteen-year-old Melanie Ramos died from a suspected fentanyl overdose last September at Bernstein High School in Hollywood.

SB10, introduced by state Sen. David Cortese, would provide necessary intervention, increase accessibility to resources and provide valuable education and training services to protect young people from fentanyl poisoning and overdoses at California schools.

Perez said the bill will help save lives. Through an interpreter, she said it's important for her to go before the state senate to tell them what fentanyl has done to her family and to those who knew her 15-year-old daughter.

Perez in December announced a lawsuit against the LAUSD, alleging school officials knew there was a problem with drug use at the campus but took no action.

Meanwhile, the White House announced plans to go after the fentanyl drug trade. One way, according to the Biden administration, is to strengthen coordination and information sharing among federal and local law enforcement to go after drug traffickers.

City News Service contributed to this report.