Lawmakers Approve Prescription Pill Bill

The Associated Press is reporting that Kentucky lawmakers have passed a measure that's intended to curb prescription drug abuse in the state.  A compromise passed by the Senate and House would require all physicians in the state to use a prescription drug monitoring system so addicts seeking painkillers can be more easily identified.

The measure passed the House 68 to 19 and won approval in the Senate today by a 26 to 11 margin. The House had wanted to give the Attorney General control of the monitoring system. In a compromise today, that system was left in the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. However, the Attorney General would be able to obtain the information for criminal investigations.