State lawmakers addressing Opioid crisis with nine bills

Will changes in state law save lives from Opioid abuse in Wisconsin? State lawmakers are addressing the crisis today. 

Nine bills are heading to Governor Walker's desk. This comes almost four months after Walker called a special session on the opioid epidemic. Those nine bills moved through the State Senate today with hardly any opposition. However, democrats did try to make some changes to the bills but that didn't work out.

Some of these bills would help set up different types of drug treatment programs. Another bill would make it harder to get certain types of drugs without a prescription. Legislators are giving State Representative John Nygren a lot of credit for pushing this opioid bill package.

"All of these are part of the long-term process, we need to focus on the end goal," said State Rep. John Nygren.

The assembly is also expected to pass two other opioid-related bills. One would allow a person to report an overdose and not have to worry about being charged with possession of a controlled substance.