The Arizona House has joined the Senate in approving a proposal backed by Republican Gov. Doug Ducey that is designed to crack down on opioids and cut the number of overdose deaths.
The unanimous action comes after the governor called lawmakers into a special session on Monday to pass the legislation. He's expected to quickly sign it into law.
Ducey's proposal limits opioids to an initial five-day supply, boosts pain clinic regulation and adds $10 million to help uninsured and underinsured people get addiction treatment.
Majority Republican lawmakers voiced concern about unintended consequences for patients needing pain-killing drugs, the cost of requiring doctors to buy software allowing electronic prescriptions and a good Samaritan provision some lawmakers say shields lawbreakers.
But in the end no one broke ranks and voted no.
Unanimous support in the AZ House and Senate! Thank you to ALL legislators for your critical efforts and support! #ArizonaOpioidEpidemicAct
— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) January 26, 2018
