GOV. RICK SCOTT SIGNS PILL MILL BILL INTO LAW

Gov. Rick Scott signed legislation into law to crack down on pill
mills in Florida.

TALLAHASSEE -- After initially fighting one of its key provisions,
Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill Friday aimed at cracking down on
clinics that frivolously dispense pain pills, feeding a nationwide
prescription drug abuse epidemic.

"Florida will shed its title as the Oxy Express," Scott said at a
bill signing ceremony in Tampa.

The signing ended what had been a hard-fought political battle over
how to stop an epidemic that kills an estimated seven Floridians daily.

Attorney General Pam Bondi made tackling prescription drug abuse her
top priority, lobbying legislators for more tools to pursue pill mill
operators.

But senators and representatives began the legislative session this
with vastly different ideas on how to corral the problem.

Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, and Senate President Mike
Haridopolos were staunch advocates of a prescription drug monitoring database.

Scott and House leaders wanted to eliminate it, raising questions
about its effectiveness and privacy.

Scott launched his own law enforcement "strike force" to tackle the
problem, and Rep. Robert Schecnk, R-Spring Hill, pushed a bill
targeting doctors and drug distributors.

The final product includes Bondi's priorities, as well as elements of
the House bill and Fasano's database.

"The governor has made a huge turnaround," Fasano said. "The governor
today signed a bill today that not only preserves the prescription
drug monitoring database. It makes it better."

The bill tightens reporting requirements to the database from 15 days
to seven days, a change critics said the program needed to make it
more effective.

The measure also increases penalties for overprescribing Oxycodone
and other narcotics, tracks wholesale distribution of some controlled
substances, and provides $3 million to support law enforcement
efforts and state prosecutors.

It also bans most doctors who prescribe narcotics from dispensing
them, requiring prescriptions to be filled at certain types of pharmacies.

Scott has been under pressure from elected officials throughout the
country to do something about the proliferation of so-called "pill
mills" in Florida that attract people from other states seeking easy
access to highly addictive, powerful painkillers.

"The toll our nation's prescription drug abuse epidemic has taken in
communities nationwide is devastating and Florida is ground zero,"
said Gil Kerlikowske, director of the White House Office of National
Drug Control Policy after Scott signed the bill.

While testifying before a congressional committee with Kentucky Gov.
Steve Bershear in April, Scott pledged to address the problem and
give up his push to kill Florida's prescription drug monitoring
database, a top priority for Kerlikowske's nationwide prescription drug battle.

Bershear applauded Scott and the Florida legislature on Friday.

"The signing of this bill will undoubtedly save lives - not just in
Florida, but in points north, including my home state of Kentucky,"
he said. "This comprehensive bill is another good step in our
cooperative efforts to protect our families from the scourge of
prescription drug abuse. I thank Gov. Scott for signing this important bill."

On Friday, Scott drew maximum attention to his signing of a popular
law that won unanimous support in both the House and Senate with
ceremonies in Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Orlando.

Broward County has become the nation's pill-mill capital, with 130
pain clinics in operation. In Broward alone, more than one million
oxycodone tablets are prescribed every month, according to local law
enforcement authorities.

Broward Commissioner Chip LaMarca, who attended the bill signing in
Fort Lauderdale, praised the governor for supporting the new law.

"I applaud Governor Scott in realizing the severity of this epidemic,
and using the full force of his office to aid in the fight to stop
these senseless deaths. I think it shows his awareness of the issue
that the first bill signing took place here in Broward County
""Ground Zero in the fight against this epidemic," LaMarca said in a statement.

Broward commissioners recently approved an ordinance with strict
rules on zoning, hours of operation and business practices of pain
management clinics. They also prohibits the clinics from operating
within 1,200 feet of another pain management clinic, place of
worship, child care center or educational center.

In Tampa, Scott said highlighted the statewide strike force he
assembled with Bondi. The task force has made 350 arrests since March.

When asked if the bill was strong enough, Scott said it was and left
the door open for more legislation if needed.

"If there's something we need to do," he said, "we'll do more."

[SIDEBAR]

THE PILL MILL LAW

Below are key provisions of the new pill mill law, which seeks to
help law enforcement authorities crack down on prescription drug abuse.

New administrative and criminal penalties for overprescribing narcotics.

A strengthening of the prescription drug monitoring database by
changing reporting requirements from 15 to seven days.

A background check requirement for the manager and support staff
involved with the database.

A requirement that the Department of Health study an appropriate
monthly dosage limit that pharmacies can dispense.

A dispensing ban for physicians, with exceptions for surgeons,
methadone clinics, clinical trials and hospice.

A mandatory buy-back program for doctors to return controlled
substances to distributors.

A requirement that pharmacies go through new rigorous permitting by July 2012.

Tracking of wholesale distribution of controlled substances.

Appropriation of $3 million for local law enforcement to enact new provisions.