May 3 Local News Drug Group Sets Record for Legislative Lobbying Expenses A lobbying group for various drug manufacturers has set a record for money spent during a Kentucky legislative session. The Consumer Healthcare Products Association spent nearly half a million dollars between January and March lobbying against a bill aimed at curbing meth production by limiting pseudoephedrine purchases. According to the Legislative Branch Ethics Commission, that’s […] By Kenny Colston May 3 Local News Drug Group Sets Record for Legislative Lobbying Expenses Kenny Colston
Mar 26 Local News Stumbo Says Drug Bills, On-Time Budgets Will Be Highlights of 2012 Session As the 2012 legislative session winds down, lawmakers aren’t touting a long list of accomplishments. They say that’s not due to a lack of work, but mainly a lack of extra money to fund new programs or expand others. Instead, House Speaker Greg Stumbo says the main highlights will be a three-bill attack on Kentucky’s […] By Kenny Colston Mar 26 Local News Stumbo Says Drug Bills, On-Time Budgets Will Be Highlights of 2012 Session Kenny Colston
Mar 19 Local News House Judiciary Committee Passes PSE Bill After a week of negotiations, the House Judiciary Committee has passed an amended version of a bill that would regulate pseudoephedrine. The drug—often called PSE—is a key ingredient in allergy medicines, but it is also used to make methamphetamine. In the fight against meth, lawmakers have long debated various proposals to control PSE. The bill currently […] By Kenny Colston Mar 19 Local News House Judiciary Committee Passes PSE Bill Kenny Colston
Mar 13 Local News House Judiciary Committee Has First Hearing on PSE Bill A proposal to restrict the purchase of pseudoephedrine-containing medicine is now up for discussion in the Kentucky House of Representatives. The cold medicine is a key ingredient in meth production, and lawmakers hope restricting PSE will reduce meth use in the commonwealth. Earlier this month, the Senate passed a compromise proposal. That bill limits consumers […] By Kenny Colston Mar 13 Local News House Judiciary Committee Has First Hearing on PSE Bill Kenny Colston
Mar 2 State of the News Today on State of the News Segment A: In our metro news segment, we’ll speak with WFPL’s Erica Peterson about a proposed ash landfill in Trimble County. Devin Katayama will report on Defense Secretary Leon Panetta‘s visit to Louisville this week, and Erin Keane shares her review of the Veri**on Play. Segment B: Kenny Colston joins us with the latest from […] By Laura Ellis Mar 2 State of the News Today on State of the News Laura Ellis
Mar 2 Local News State Senate Passes Bill Regulating PSE Medicine Use A bill regulating the amount of certain cold medicines consumers can buy over the counter has passed the State Senate. The bill is intended to crack down on meth users, who use cold medicine to make the illegal drug. Senate Bill 3 passed after an amendment raised the monthly pseudoephedrine allotment to seven point two […] By Kenny Colston Mar 2 Local News State Senate Passes Bill Regulating PSE Medicine Use Kenny Colston
Mar 1 Local News Current Bill to Regulate PSE Use In Trouble, Another Compromise Possible A bill dealing with pseudoephedrine usage could be in trouble for the second straight legislative session. Supporters of restricting PSE use thought they had a compromise. Previous bills have attempted to make the drug available by prescription only. The latest measure would allow the drug to remain over the counter but limits consumers to three […] By Kenny Colston Mar 1 Local News Current Bill to Regulate PSE Use In Trouble, Another Compromise Possible Kenny Colston
Mar 1 Local News PSE Compromise Passes Committee, Could See Senate Floor Action Today A supposed compromise on a bill aimed at cracking down on meth production in Kentucky is once again making its way through the state Senate. The bill passed committee quickly this morning. The bill’s sponsor, Senator Robert Stivers, says the bill could be voted on the Senate floor as soon as this afternoon. The compromise […] By Kenny Colston Mar 1 Local News PSE Compromise Passes Committee, Could See Senate Floor Action Today Kenny Colston
Feb 23 Local News Stivers Says He’s Considering Compromises on Anti-Meth Bill A Senate bill that would have made pseudoephedrine available by prescription only has surprisingly been killed by its sponsor. State Senator Robert Stivers withdrew Senate Bill 50 Thursday, to the objection of several of his colleagues. Pseudoephedrine, or PSE, is a key ingredient in both over-the-counter cold medicines and meth. The bill was meant to […] By Kenny Colston Feb 23 Local News Stivers Says He’s Considering Compromises on Anti-Meth Bill Kenny Colston
Jan 30 Local News Debate over Psuedoephedrine as Prescription Only Getting Personal The debate over how to regulate psedudoephedrine is becoming more polarized. Lawmakers are wrestling with the idea of whether to make the drug, known as PSE, available by prescription only. Law enforcement supports that idea, while health care and citizen groups don’t. The debate has led one state Senator to dial back his leadership on […] By Kenny Colston Jan 30 Local News Debate over Psuedoephedrine as Prescription Only Getting Personal Kenny Colston
Jan 27 Local News Jensen Reduces Role on Psuedoephedrine Bill After Personal Attacks, The primary sponsor of legislation attempting to make pseudoephedrine available by prescription only is taking a smaller role. State Senator Tom Jensen announced today that he will no longer be the main sponsor of Senate Bill 50. Jensen said opponents of the legislation were quickly attaching him personally to the controversial bill, something he wanted to […] By Kenny Colston Jan 27 Local News Jensen Reduces Role on Psuedoephedrine Bill After Personal Attacks, Kenny Colston
Jan 18 Local News Yonts Says Tighter Prescription Controls Would Enhance His Anti-Meth Bill The sponsor of a bill aimed at fighting meth in Kentucky says his proposal will be more effective if the state increases regulations around prescription drugs. Representative Brent Yonts has introduced a bill that requires anyone who has been convicted of a meth-related crime to have a prescription to buy cold medicines that contain the […] By Gabe Bullard Jan 18 Local News Yonts Says Tighter Prescription Controls Would Enhance His Anti-Meth Bill Gabe Bullard
Jan 12 Local News State Lawmakers Encouraged to Take Prescription-Only PSE Approach Officials from outside of Kentucky are encouraging state lawmakers not to repeat their missteps in the fight against meth. At a joint meeting of the House and Senate Judiciary committees, officials from Oklahoma and Mississippi testified about how they’ve restricted the purchase of pseudoephedrine (PSE)—a common decongestant in cold medicines and an integral ingredient in meth. Mississippi […] By Kenny Colston Jan 12 Local News State Lawmakers Encouraged to Take Prescription-Only PSE Approach Kenny Colston
Jan 9 Local News Fight Over Pseudoephedrine Renewed in Kentucky State Senate The fight over making pseudoephedrine available only by prescription is heating up again in the Kentucky legislature. The state Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to take up the bill on Thursday morning. Last week, senators made passionate speeches on the chamber floor in favor of the bill. The idea is supported by most of Senate […] By Kenny Colston Jan 9 Local News Fight Over Pseudoephedrine Renewed in Kentucky State Senate Kenny Colston
Nov 25 Local News Effectiveness of Meth Bill Proposal Questioned A new bill that has been pre-filed in the Kentucky legislature for next year would block convicted methamphetamine offenders from buying key meth ingredients without a prescription, but not everyone is convinced the proposed law would be effective. State Representative Brent Yonts, D-15, has introduced legislation that would create a drug offender database that would […] By Devin Katayama Nov 25 Local News Effectiveness of Meth Bill Proposal Questioned Devin Katayama