Published as submitted by the New Hampshire Senate Office. ~ Melanie
Bradley commends committee approval of expedited legislation in response to heroin crisis
Concord, NH – Today, three bills recommended for expedited review by the Joint Task Force on the response to the heroin and opioid crisis were heard and passed in a joint committee hearings and will be voted on by the full Senate this Thursday.
NH State Senator Jeb Bradley
Senator Majority Leader Jeb Bradley (R-Wolfeboro), issued the following statement on the expedited legislation.
“I am proud to see all three bills marked “expedited review” passed out of committee today so the full Senate can vote on them this Thursday. We are on track to have these bills on the Governor’s desk by the end of January as we planned to do,” said Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley (R-Wolfeboro), who chaired the Joint Task Force
“SB 576, a bill that I sponsored, which addresses a number of critical preventative and treatment measures aimed at curbing the heroin crisis. This legislation strengthens the penalties for possessing or selling fentanyl to match those of heroin, provides a uniform standard for insurers to cover treatment for addicts seeking care, allows general funds to be used to update the Prescription Drug Monitoring program, and adds two members, including a physician who practices pain medicine or anesthesiology, to the board of medicine medical review committee,” Bradley added
“The Senate and House will continue to work diligently, closely examining other bills related to curbing the opioid crisis that addresses the areas of prevention, treatment, recovery and interdiction in a holistic and effective way as we continue our work this session.”
The legislation passed in committee includes:
SB 369-FN – requiring public schools to include drug and alcohol education as part of their health education curriculum
SB 576-FN-A – relative to the penalty for possession and use of fentanyl-class drugs, insurance coverage for substance use disorders, the acceptance of general funds by the controlled drug prescription health and safety program, the membership of the board of medicine and prescribers of controlled drugs and making an appropriation therefor.
SB 447-FN – relative to the controlled drug prescription health and safety program and establishing a commission to study Narcan.
