HOPE Agenda Bills Advance in Legislature

Several bills from Rep. John Nygren (R-Marinette) and various co-authors to address substance use disorder are making their way through the Legislature, with six bills passing on the Assembly floor and several moving in the Senate health committee.

In addition to the legislation, Rep. Nygren joined several health plans for a press conference on Jan. 21 as they announced a partnership with insurers, members of the recovery community, healthcare providers and other members of the legislature to expand access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT). The partnership eliminates the use of prior authorization requirements in most cases for MAT medications that are effective in the treatment of opioid use disorders and help some people to sustain recovery. Rep. Nygren press release

Rep. Nygren has led the legislative effort to combat Wisconsin’s opioid epidemic with his Heroin, Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) agenda starting in the 2013-14 session and continuing through the current session. Read more about Wisconsin’s work in fighting the opioid abuse crisis.

The following bills passed on the Assembly floor in their Jan. 21 session. Most were also voted out of the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services last week.

  • AB 645, allowing county jails to obtain a supply of naloxoneor another opioid antagonist and allow certain county jail personnel to administer the medications to individuals undergoing opioid-related drug overdoses. The bill provides immunity from civil and criminal liability for jail personnel administering opioid antagonists. The bill further requires the Department of Health Services (DHS), with the help of the Department of Corrections, to study possible implementation of medication-assisted treatment in county jails. Senate companion bill SB 594 received a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services on Jan. 8, and the committee voted to recommend passage of the bill on Thursday, Jan. 23.
  • AB 646, creating a registry forrecovery residences in DHS. Additionally, the bill provides exemptions from disciplinary action for state employees using controlled substances as part of medication-assisted treatment. Senate companion bill SB 591 received a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services on Jan. 8, and the committee voted to recommend passage of the bill on Thursday, Jan. 23.
  • AB 647, extending the sunset of Wisconsin’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program(PDMP). The bill extends until 2025 the requirement that providers review patients’ PDMP records before issuing a prescription. The bill also extends until 2025 the requirement that the Controlled Substances Board perform quarterly evaluations of PDMP outcomes. Senate companion bill SB 581 received a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services on Jan. 8, and the committee voted to recommend passage of the bill on Thursday, Jan. 23.
  • AB 648, placing $5 million in each year of the biennium in the Joint Finance Committee supplemental appropriation for physical health service provider reimbursement. Physical health services are “nonpharmacologic interventions used for treatment or mitigation of pain, including chiropractic methods and physical therapy.” Gov. Evers vetoed a provision for this funding in the 2019-21 state budget. The bill also includes acupuncture as a reimbursable benefit in the Medical Assistance program. According to the cosponsorship memo, acupuncture is an underutilized chronic pain treatment alternative that could reduce opioid use. Senate companion bill SB 600 received a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services on Jan. 8, and the committee voted to recommend passage of the bill on Thursday, Jan. 23.
  • AB 650, requiring coverage for peer recovery coachesfor mental illness or substance use disorder treatment in the state’s Medical Assistance program. The bill also requires DHS to establish a program to facilitate overdose treatment providers to educate patients on access to follow up care, among other education and treatment options listed under the bill. Senate companion bill SB 591 received a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services on Jan. 8, and the committee voted to recommend passage of the bill on Thursday, Jan. 23.
  • AB 651, repealing the sunset on a current law providing immunity from revocation of probation, parole or extended supervisionfor persons who call emergency services because another person is suffering from an overdose. Current law provides immunity from prosecution for controlled substances crimes and immunity from revocation of probation, parole or extended supervision for aiders. However, the immunity from revocation of probation, parole or extended supervision sunsets on Aug. 1, 2020. This bill would eliminate the sunset. Senate companion bill SB 590 is scheduled for a hearing in the Committee on Judiciary & Public Safety on Jan. 29.

The final bill of the package, AB 649/SB 580, requiring the Medical Examining Board to issue guidelines on best practices for treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome, has not yet received a hearing in the Senate or Assembly.