Prescription Abuse Bill Clears Kentucky House Committee

Unscrupulous doctors who overprescribe the painkillers that are being widely abused in Kentucky could be more quickly identified and prosecuted under a bill approved by the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.

House Speaker Greg Stumbo said the legislation is crucial in Kentucky where three people a day are dying from drug overdoses.

The measure would require all physicians to tap into the state’s prescription monitoring system to determine if patients seeking painkillers or anti-anxiety drugs have recently gotten similar medications from other doctors. Staffers from the attorney general’s office also would monitor the prescribing practices of doctors, allowing quick investigations into questionable behavior.

The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce endorsed the legislation, saying combating prescription drug abuse will make safer, more productive workplaces.