Gov. Doug Ducey calls special legislative session for opioid-crisis bill
Jan 22, 2018, 7:02 AM | Updated: 3:44 pm
(AP Photo)
PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey expected legislators to quickly enact a law designed to curb fatal opioid overdoses. He called special session Monday to start the process.
A special session would allow the Legislature to pass the measure as quickly as three days, which would leave little time for public comment or analysis of the proposed legislation.
“This legislation combats the opioid epidemic from all angles,” Ducey said in a statement to the media.
The Republican governor said he wants to protect people with chronic pain while trying to cut the number of new addictions.
The comprehensive plan will prevent doctors from prescribing more than an initial five days’ worth of pain medication (14 days for post-surgical patients). There would also increased pain-clinic regulation, plus $10 million to help uninsured people receive addiction treatment.
Ducey released the Arizona Opioid Epidemic Act late last week.
“It holds bad actors accountable and gets more resources to our medical professionals, law enforcement, and treatment providers, while showing compassion to those struggling with addiction and protecting those suffering from chronic pain,” Ducey said in a press release.
Other provisions included training requirements for doctors and arrest protection for people who call for help for an overdose.
Democratic Rep. Rebecca Rios, the House minority leader, acknowledged that pushing the proposal though in a special session could lead to unexpected results because the bill won’t be in the public light for long before votes are required.
“The beauty of this is if there are unintended consequences we can always come back later,” she said. “But hopefully we won’t be doing that.”
Ducey declared the opioids crisis a statewide health emergency in June 2017.
The previous year, the state’s Department of Health Services said 790 in Arizona had died because of opioid overdoses.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.