Post by Logan on Feb 5, 2016 2:06:43 GMT -6
CONCORD — The Senate Thursday approved three bills that allocate about $5.5 million intended to help combat the drug addiction epidemic sweeping the state.
The bills would establish drug courts statewide, provide grants for law enforcement and upgrade the state’s prescription drug monitoring program, all recommended for early action by the legislative task force on the state’s drug crisis.
Although the Senate approved all three bills on unanimous votes, lawmakers spent about an hour debating the wisdom of putting $5 million into the state’s rainy day fund at the end of this fiscal year before approving the amendment to the drug court bill on a partisan 14-10 vote.
Democrats argued the money may be needed for other programs to help with the drug crisis that claimed about 400 lives last year.
See more at: www.unionleader.com/Senate-approves-three-bills-to-combat-drug-crisis
The bills would establish drug courts statewide, provide grants for law enforcement and upgrade the state’s prescription drug monitoring program, all recommended for early action by the legislative task force on the state’s drug crisis.
Although the Senate approved all three bills on unanimous votes, lawmakers spent about an hour debating the wisdom of putting $5 million into the state’s rainy day fund at the end of this fiscal year before approving the amendment to the drug court bill on a partisan 14-10 vote.
Democrats argued the money may be needed for other programs to help with the drug crisis that claimed about 400 lives last year.
See more at: www.unionleader.com/Senate-approves-three-bills-to-combat-drug-crisis