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WILKES-BARRE — Gov. Tom Wolf addressed a Joint Session of the General Assembly this week to outline the collective plan to lead the nation in combating the opioid and heroin crisis facing Pennsylvania.

“We have shown that we can work together to make Pennsylvania the great place we know it can be,” Wolf said in an emailed news release. “It is now time to do so again and give the people of Pennsylvania a reason to believe in their leaders.”

Wolf said it’s “up to us to tackle the opioid crisis and give Pennsylvania the prosperous, healthy, and safe future we know it deserves.”

Wolf told the legislators that, in order to stem the tide of opioid abuse and make progress for those suffering from the disease of addiction and their loved ones, state government must work quickly and efficiently to pass bills to send to Wolf’s desk.

During the governor’s address, he outlined the following priorities:

Strengthen the prescription drug monitoring program —Physicians should check the commonwealth’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program each time they prescribe opioids. Current law requires doctors to only check the system the first time they prescribe to a patient or if they believe a patient is suffering from the disease of addiction.

In addition, dispensers should be required to enter data into the database within 24 hours of issuing a prescription, rather than the current standard of 72 hours.

Improve and increase education — Prepare doctors and physicians for prescribing opioids and pain management by improving medical school and continuing education curricula on opioids. This will give doctors the knowledge and best practices needed to tailor their clinical skills to identify signs of addiction and provide patients with information to avoid abuse or engage in meaningful treatment if they become addicted. ​Schools should be required to teach students about opioid misuse in existing drug and alcohol abuse curricula.

Limit opioid prescriptions to emergency room patients and minors — Limit the number of opioids a patient can receive at emergency rooms to a seven-day supply with no refills. Put the same restriction in place for minors, no matter where they get a prescription.

Insurance coverage for abuse deterrent opioids — Insurance companies should be required to cover abuse deterrent opioids, like they already have in Massachusetts. This will make it more difficult to abuse prescription drugs. While many people become addicted by simply swallowing pills, others crush pills to snort or smoke. Drug manufacturers are rapidly developing new technologies to prevent this kind of abuse. Deterrent measures can be important tools against intentional or unintentional abuse or overdoses.

Establish a voluntary directive — Allow patients to establish a voluntary directive if they do not want to be prescribed opioids. This directive could be used by a patient to deny or refuse the administration or prescribing of an opioid drug by a practitioner.

According to the governor’s office, last year more than 3,500 Pennsylvanians died from drug overdoses — an astonishing 10 deaths a day and up from the more than 2,500 reported deaths in 2014.

Substance use disorder affects people all across the commonwealth, thus the reason the search for effective solutions enjoys broad bi-partisan support.

Toomey seeks justice

for 9/11 families

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Zionsville, last week released a statement on the bipartisan Senate vote to override the president’s veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act.

“Two weeks ago, I was in Somerset County celebrating the bravery of the heroes of Flight 93 who gave their lives on Sept. 11 to save an unknown number of others,” Toomey said in the release. “We owe these heroes an immeasurable debt. It is one I feel personally. Like many, I believe that the target of Flight 93 was the U.S Capitol, where I was working as a member of Congress that day. Because of the heroes of Flight 93, my wife was spared being widowed, our two older children—toddlers at the time—grew up with their father, and our youngest child was able to be brought into the world.”

Toomey said the heroes on that flight are owed more than thanks — he said they are owed justice — justice that has eluded them for 15 years. Toomey said the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act will allow the families of 9/11 and other victims of terror attacks in the U.S. to hold accountable those who commit or sponsor such attacks.

“I hope the House will join the Senate in overriding the president’s veto, so this legislation can be enacted into law and the 9/11 families can finally obtain the justice they deserve,” Toomey said.

Barletta votes for relief for small

businesses on overtime rule

U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Hazleton, backed legislation that delays an Obama Administration rule that would more than double the salary threshold for employees eligible for overtime pay, reducing opportunities for workers and hurting nonprofits, colleges and universities.

Barletta was an original cosponsor of H.R. 6094, the Regulatory Relief for Small Businesses, Schools and Nonprofits Act, which requires a six-month delay in the implementation of the Department of Labor’s overtime rule.

The proposed rule raises the salary threshold for overtime-eligible employees to $47,476 and would take effect on Dec. 1, 2016, unless delayed.

The legislation provides much-needed time for businesses, nonprofits, colleges and universities to better prepare for the impact of the rule.

The bill passed the House of Representatives late Wednesday by a vote of 246-to-177 and now heads to the Senate for its consideration.

“Many employers I’ve talked to were not even aware of the change in the overtime rule and are wholly unprepared for the consequences of such a major change in policy,” Barletta said in an emailed news release. “As a former small business owner, I know that the way to retain good employees is to be able to pay them more. This rule takes away the flexibility to do that.”

Barletta said employers will shift workers away from salaried positions, reduce work hours, decline to hire new employees or even eliminate some positions. He said this is an ill-considered rule the Obama Administration is determined to enforce, and he wants to delay its impact.

According to information provided by Barletta’s office:

• The Fair Labor Standards Act establishes important protections for workers, among them the right to overtime pay at time-and-a-half for work performed above 40 hours per week.

• The existing threshold for overtime pay is a salary of $23,660. Moving that figure to $47,476 encompasses many more employees and places severe burdens on small businesses, nonprofits and colleges and universities.

Cartwright lands $198,330 grant to Catholic

Social Services to curb youth homelessness

U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Moosic, announced the Department of Health and Human Services has awarded a Health Services grant in the amount of $198,330 to Catholic Social Services of Wilkes-Barre through the Administration for Children and Families’ Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB).

“Catholic Social Services makes a big difference in the lives of young people throughout northeastern Pennsylvania,” Cartwright said in an emailed news release. “These funds will help them continue the important work they are doing on behalf of vulnerable, at-risk youth throughout our region.”

Cartwright, a member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, said Catholic Social Services will use the funds to help administer the FYSB’s Basic Center Program. The program works to strengthen community-based programs that meet the immediate needs of runaway and homeless youth and their families. The programs provide youth up to age 18 with emergency shelter, food, clothing, counseling and referrals for health care.

Wolf
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Toomey
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Barletta
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Cartwright
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By Bill O’Boyle

[email protected]

Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.