05/23/2012

Schedule II Not in HB487

Our sincere thanks to all of you that contacted your Senators and Representatives encouraging them to reinstate the Schedule II language in conference committee.  Unfortunately, it did not happen.  The committee adopted the Senate version of HB487 that did not include Schedule II.

OAPA intends to pursue legislation for the remainder of the year but our time is limited.  All pending legislation will die on December 31 and will need to be reintroduced in 2013.  The General Assembly will take a summer recess and then more time for November elections so we will have very little opportunity for health committee hearings.

HB284 is stalled in the House and is unlikely to ever go to the House floor.

We will now encourage Senator Hite, sponsor of SB276 (a companion bill of HB284), to recommend that the bill move forward in the Senate as soon as possible.  Should it pass the Senate, it would still need to go to the House.

Again, thank you for responding to our call to action.