The deaths of two men from Hawaii following a suspected fentanyl overdose involving five people in a Waikiki hotel room over the weekend has spurred Hawaii lawmakers, including Gov. Josh Green, to move forward on measures designed to prevent deaths from the potent synthetic opioid.

Green said Tuesday in an email that he is going to sign Senate Bill 671, which legalizes possession of fentanyl test strips by exempting them from the definition of drug paraphernalia in the uniform Controlled Substances Act and which also defines a fentanyl test strip.

Green said, “It is very important to legalize fentanyl test strips. Fentanyl is 80 times more powerful than morphine, and it suppresses the respiratory system to the point that it is sometimes not possible to resuscitate patients with Narcan. Fentanyl is being laced into other drugs, and people are dying, as we saw with the tragic two deaths in Waikiki.”

He added, “We understand that some people worry that by legalizing these test strips we are sending the wrong message. I feel that we as a state need to be compassionate and focus on harm reduction. People who are addicted to drugs can use these test strips to determine whether they are about to ingest a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl — and be in a position to save their own lives.”

Senate Bill 671 was passed by the state Legislature this session and was sent to Green on April 18.

The Honolulu City Council will hear Bill 28, “Relating to Naloxone,” for second reading today at 10 a.m. at Honolulu Hale. The bill, introduced by Council member Tyler Dos Santos-­Tam, requires bars, nightclubs and other high-risk venues to maintain doses of naloxone, the opioid reversal medication.

Dos Santos-Tam said in a statement, “What happened in Waikiki is a tragedy. It serves as another reminder that we need to use every tool at our disposal to prevent overdoses. Narcan is one of those tools. Bill 28 is about keeping the public safe — it’s about taking action on this horrible epidemic.”

The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the two men from Hawaii who died following the suspected fentanyl incident. A Medical Examiner official said one of the men was Joseph Iseke, 44, of Kailua.

According to Honolulu Police Department reports, Iseke was pronounced dead at the scene after Honolulu Emergency Medical Services paramedics responded to a call at the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort at about 6:30 a.m. Sunday regarding a possible overdose case with multiple victims.

They found five victims: Iseke; two men ages 40 and 53, who were treated and taken in critical condition to a hospital; and two women, ages 53 and 47, who were transported in serious condition.

The other fatality was identified as Steven Berengue, 53, of Kailua-Kona, who died at a hospital following Sunday’s incident.

The cause of death for both men is pending and could take anywhere up to six months to determine, the Medical Examiner official said.

Meanwhile, family and friends are mourning Berengue’s death. News of the incident was described as “a total shock” by Berengue’s closest friend, Sean Hunter, who said he had no history of drug use.

“He owns a business, he’s a canoe paddler, he’s healthy, he stays in shape,” Hunter said. “We’re all left with questions because this is all just a shock.”

A Facebook post Monday morning attributed to Berengue’s brother Shane said, “I’m completely shattered at the moment. My older brother Passed Away yesterday. We are still trying to get all the details. … None of this is making sense to me right now.”

Hunter said Berengue was on Oahu to attend a concert. He said he is familiar with some of the other people who were found in the hotel room.

Hunter, 53, and Berengue met at Konawaena High School as teenagers and had still been involved in each other’s lives. The two last saw each other one month ago in Las Vegas, where Hunter currently lives.

“You never get a friend like that. I can’t replace him, ever. … Everybody knows that we’re real close. Ever since we met we’ve been best friends,” Hunter said. “He came up here for Cinco de Mayo, and I was with him for a week. I just dropped him off at the airport a couple of weeks ago. And that was it.”

Hunter said Berengue “always makes people laugh. He helps a lot of people. He does a lot of things for youth, for paddling.”

Berengue was a former coach for the New Zealand-­based Tui Tonga Canoe Club, according to a Monday Facebook post from the club.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of former Tui Tonga Hawaii Coach Steven Berengue. He was a very important part of our club and always supported the kids,” the post said.

His father, Fred, was also a well-respected canoe paddler.

Honolulu police have opened two unattended death investigations in the case, according to HPD spokesperson Michelle Yu. She said fentanyl was detected at the scene.

“Anyone who has information about this case should contact HPD or CrimeStoppers Honolulu,” Yu said.

Officials familiar with the case said they are looking at fentanyl as the probable cause of the deaths and illnesses.

Outrigger spokesperson Monica Salter said Tuesday in a written statement: “The team at Outrigger is deeply saddened by the recent event that occurred at the resort and our thoughts go out to all those who have been affected. The safety and well-being of our guests and hosts are our utmost priorities.

“Our dedicated resort team worked closely with law enforcement agencies to provide them with any assistance they required,” she said.