pill mill

Beshear Signs Pill Mill Fix Legislation

Kenny Colston (KPR) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 16:57:29 +0000

Gov. Steve Beshear signed on Tuesday legislation aimed at "fixing" 2012's crackdown on pill mills.

The so-called pill mill fix bill, House Bill 217, exempts hospitals and long term care facilities from constantly running prescribing reports on patients in their care.

But supporters of the bill, including House Speaker Greg Stumbo, Senate President Robert Stivers and Beshear said the new legislation doesn't weaken the 2012 efforts to tackle pill mills—pain clinics that abuse their prescription-writing authority for people seeking pain medication for recreational use.

"But as with most major reforms efforts, the implementation of House Bill 1 demonstrated a few imperfections that needed to be fixed," Beshear said. "House Bill 217 makes those fixes, without reducing the impact of the original legislation."

Senate Committee Advances Fix to 2012 Pill Mill Legislation

Kenny Colston (KPR) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:14:32 +0000

A bill addressing issues with 2012's pill mill bill has cleared a state Senate committee, less than a day after it cleared the full House. The bill calls off some regulations of the 2012 House Bill 1, which cracked down on prescription pain clinics and abuse.

Legislative Fix to 2012 Pill Mill Bill Passes House Judiciary Committee

Kenny Colston (KPR) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 21:59:42 +0000

A bill addressing problems with last year's prescription pill mill bill has cleared the House Judiciary Committee. House Speaker Greg Stumbo is sponsoring the bill, which reduces some tough regulations that followed the pill mill bill. The legislation, House Bill 217, requires hospitals and long term care facilities to still pull KASPER reports, but lessens other regulations on them.

Conway Ready to Rework HB-1

Kenny Colston (KPR) — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 16:25:12 +0000

Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway says it may be time for lawmakers to take a second look at a tough prescription pill bill that passed earlier this year. Conway was a leading advocate of House Bill 1, which requires doctors to use the KASPER pill tracking system. But the Kentucky Medical Association has long opposed HB1.

Afternoon Round-Up 4/24/12

Rose Krzton-Presson — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 21:34:09 +0000

Today on NPR: Missouri teen Maura Pozek has gotten a reputation for the unusual dresses she makes. Her first material was Doritos bags. Then it was soda can tabs. This year, she says, "I had to top myself somehow."

Frankfort:

House Approves Road Plan, Pill Bill

Kenny Colston (KPR) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:59:20 +0000

The Kentucky House of Representatives has passed both bills on its agenda for this year’s special session.

House lawmakers approved both the road plan funding bill and a measure to crack down on prescription pill abuse today by wide margins.

The more contentious of the two bills was the prescription pill legislation. The House and Senate reached a compromise at the end of the regular session, but the House chose to introduce the original and tougher form for the special session.

For Some, Changes to "Pill Bill" Hard to Swallow

Kenny Colston (KPR) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:12:56 +0000

A change to the so-called pill bill in Frankfort has restarted the fight over the measure in the General Assembly.

Prescription abuse is rampant in Kentucky, and the bill strengthens restrictions on the drugs and who can sell them. The measure didn't clear the General Assembly during this year's regular session, and lawmakers have been called in for a special session to reconsider the legislation.

Drug Bills Near Passage

Kenny Colston (KPR) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 11:53:31 +0000

State lawmakers have approved two major pieces of legislation dealing with drug abuse in Kentucky.

House Bill 4 tightens regulations on prescription pills.

Colston on the Capitol

Kenny Colston (KPR) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 22:16:12 +0000

It’s been another busy week in the Kentucky General Assembly. On the agenda: the budget, drug testing and prescription painkillers. To summarize what happened and why, Kentucky Public Radio Capitol Bureau Chief Kenny Colston talks politics with Rick Howlett.

House Judiciary Passes Two Bills to Overhaul Drug Enforcement

Kenny Colston (KPR) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 20:37:40 +0000

The Kentucky House Judiciary Committee has overwhelmingly passed two bills to overhaul the state's fight against drugs.

One bill deals with synthetic drugs. It would ban the manufacture of any drug that simulates an illegal substance or that contains certain chemical compounds.

The second bill is an overhaul of the KASPER system, which monitors prescription drugs. The bill puts KASPER under the Attorney General's office and requires the board of medical licensure to crack down on reports that prescriptions are being over prescribed.