Bill seeks to preserve social media messages to aid fentanyl death investigations

California lawmakers are considering legislation that would require social media companies to retain user-to-user communications for at least seven days to aid police investigations into fentanyl-related deaths.

The author of the measure, Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D), said combating the fentanyl crisis is one of her top priorities and that she was motivated by the stories of young people who died after arranging to purchase drugs via social media.