HB 3174 – Needle Exchange program

HB 3174 would allow certain Texas counties to set up government needle exchange program. These programs are intended to reduce the spread of HIV and hepatitis and are paired with referrals to health care and drug treatment. While the bill’s stated goals are public health and harm reduction, it introduces a new taxpayer-sanctioned framework to facilitate drug use rather than curb it. It sets up a patchwork of county-level initiatives and opens the door for non-governmental organizations to distribute drug-related materials under public oversight. Local governments can charge registration fees, and program operators can charge users, but ultimately these systems could create hidden costs for taxpayers through expanded bureaucracy and increased public health infrastructure. The bill also carves out legal exemptions for conduct currently criminalized under drug paraphernalia laws, undermining statewide drug enforcement. Furthermore, by promoting a harm-reduction model without addressing personal accountability, the bill risks normalizing intravenous drug use. The bill represents a misuse of public policy and public dollars, entangling local governments in activities better handled by private recovery organizations or the justice system. A limited-government approach should focus on private-led rehabilitation and deterrence—not state-facilitated syringe distribution