March 4, 2016

Rutigliano: Opiate Addiction Public Hearings on March 7th

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Opiate addiction is a serious crisis in Connecticut especially in Fairfield County. This legislative session, legislators including myself put forward a list of legislative proposals to try and combat the growing opiate addiction problem in our state.

In January, I co-hosted ‘A Community Discussion On Connecticut’s Opiate Addiction Crisis’ where my colleagues and I committed to meet and develop legislative proposals based on what we heard that evening and after speaking with professionals who work in the addiction field, law enforcement and the community.

Here are some of the bill proposal requests I’ve submitted:

Advocating drug education health education courses in earlier grades in schools
Requiring drug testing to be conducted prior to the refill of certain prescriptions
Prohibiting doctors from prescribing an excessive amount of medication when it is not necessary for the treatment of the patient and shall also apply to insurance companies
Establishing a crime of murder by sale of an opiod controlled substance to hold drug dealers liable for the sale of drugs that result in the death of the person who purchased the drugs from the dealer. “Death by Dealer
Making Narcan available to all so families may access Narcan at pharmacies over the counter
Allowing for drug “dropboxes” in pharmacies. Dropboxes shall accept unused drugs
Requiring doctors who prescribe opiates to qualify for a “rider” or “endorsement” on their medical license that allows them to prescribe opiates after completing addiction continuing education
Insurance coverage for treatment of addiction

The major public hearing on these bills will be Monday, March 7 at 1:00 P.M. in Room 1D of the Legislative Office Building (LOB). Sign-up for the hearing will begin at 11:00 A.M. on the First Floor Atrium of the LOB.

If you plan to testify make sure your remarks are clear and concise. Written testimony should be turned in before the hearing begins. If you decide to submit testimony, please copy me on your testimony so I can be aware of your thoughts.

Click Here for a guide for testifying at hearings.

Click Here for driving directions to the Connecticut State Capitol and Legislative Office Building.

If you cannot attend the public hearing but wish to submit testimony you can email the testimony to the committee at: phtestimony@housegop.ct.gov and copy my office on the email at David.Rutigliano@housegop.ct.gov.