Louisville, KY Public Health Rules: Syringe Disposal (2026)
Key Facts
- Authorized by
- Ordinance No. 58-2015
- Operator
- Public Health and Wellness
- Prerequisite
- File regs with Council Clerk
- Prerequisite
- Testify before Public Safety Committee
- Scope
- Metro-wide consolidated jurisdiction
Summary
Louisville Metro Council consented, by Ordinance No. 58-2015, to let Public Health and Wellness run a needle and syringe exchange outreach program, but only after the department files its regulations with the Council Clerk and testifies before the Public Safety Committee.
The Louisville Metro Council, by Ordinance No. 58-2015, gives consent for Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness to operate and/or oversee a substance abuse treatment outreach program that allows participants to exchange hypodermic needles and syringes. Prior to implementing the needle exchange program, Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness will file the administrative regulations with the Metro Council Clerk's Office and appear before the Public Safety Committee to testify.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-47: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinances passed by the Council and approved by the Mayor as of July 1, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Louisville Metro Code § 32.641 records the Metro Council's consent under Ordinance No. 58-2015 for Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness to operate or oversee a substance abuse treatment outreach program allowing participants to exchange hypodermic needles and syringes. Before the department can implement the program, it must first file the administrative regulations governing it with the Metro Council Clerk's Office and appear before the Council's Public Safety Committee to testify. The section sets up the authorization and review pathway rather than numeric siting limits, needle counts, or operating hours for exchange sites.
Violations & Fines
No fine or citation is specified for participants using an authorized exchange site. The binding requirement runs against Public Health and Wellness itself: it cannot launch or expand the program without first clearing its regulations through the Metro Council Clerk's Office and Public Safety Committee testimony.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a needle exchange program legal in Louisville Metro?
Does the ordinance set rules for where exchange sites can locate?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Louisville
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