Kentucky lawmakers have yet to reach agreement on what many consider to be this session's priority issue. Legislators are working until the final hours of the 2015 session trying to reach consensus on a bill aimed at reducing the state's heroin problem.
One of the main sticking points in House and Senate negotiations continues to be the issue of penalties for traffickers. House Speaker Greg Stumbo believes there are pressing needs beyond punishment. "The effort needs to focus on treatment and education as much as enforcement,” said Stumbo. “We've got enforcement tools, we've got good enforcement tools."
The republican controlled Senate is for across the board penalties for traffickers, but the Democratic led House version of the bill sets differing levels for so-called peddlers and high volume traffickers. Tuesday is scheduled to be the last day of the 2015 general assembly session and Committee Chair John Tilley says he still expects approval. "At this point we think we're again, just a couple of paragraphs away from a very comprehensive, effective, bill to combat this heroin epidemic," said Tilley.
Lawmakers could extend the session into Wednesday since two days were canceled due to snow. However Stumbo doesn't anticipate that happening.?
