Statewide Task Force on Opioid Drug Abuse

Feb 9, 2024
On Monday, March 18, the Senate Health Policy Committee approved SB 1658 by Sen. Wilton Simpson (R-Spring Hill).

The bill creates a statewide task force to address the issue of opioid drug abuse. The statewide task force would be an adjunct to the Department of Legal Affairs for researching opioid drug abuse; evaluating effective strategies from education, interdiction, arrest, protection, treatment and prevention; and, providing policy recommendations to the Legislature. The bill specifies the membership of the task force and requires the task force to meet at an organizational session by July 15, 2019 and at least four times annually  thereafter. A series of interim reports are due to the Legislature by Dec. 1, 2020, Jan. 15, 2021 and a final report due by Dec. 1, 2022. SB 1658 now moves to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice for consideration.

The House companion bill, HB 875 by Rep. Sirois, passed out of the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee on Tuesday, March 19 and now heads to the House Health & Human Services Committee.

Capital Report, Vol. 26, No. 4 - March 22, 2019