Republican Caucus Chairman eager to find new solutions to end epidemic
(NASHVILLE) — House Republican Caucus Chairman Ryan Williams (R-Cookeville) today commended members of the Ad Hoc Task Force on Opioid Abuse and thanked them for their work addressing the opioid epidemic paralyzing Tennessee and the entire nation.
Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) convened the task force at the beginning of the 2017 legislative session with the goal of finding new methods to attack this extremely dangerous issue.
This week, task force members made their recommendations to address a crisis that has claimed the lives of more than 6,000 Tennesseans over the past five years. Some of the recommendations made by the task force include:
- The addition of 25 Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) agents in the coming year.
- Limiting the number of controlled drugs prescribed by providers in emergency rooms.
- Creating a new Tennessee Commission to Combat Drug Abuse.
- Requesting additional funding from the White House to fight addiction.
Tennessee consistently ranks at the top of the charts nationally with regards to prescription drug abuse. Additionally, the state is seeing an increase in the rates of babies being born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). Speaker Harwell will now review the recommendations made by the group before presenting them to Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam in order to determine possible legislation for the upcoming session.
“My colleagues who have participated on this task force have done a remarkable job considering all options so that we can find solutions to address this critical issue that has led to so many tragic outcomes for families across Tennessee,” said Speaker Harwell. “While we have made considerable progress, our work is far from over. I am confident that these recommendations are a tremendous starting point that will support our work in the coming months.”
As a member of the House Health Committee and former Health Subcommittee Chairman, Williams has worked closely with several task force members and his Republican colleagues in recent years to support their efforts related to this crisis; he knows they have made a difference in the lives of the citizens who are facing addiction.
“I am proud of my colleagues for the work they have performed over these last several months as it relates to assisting the men, women, and families who are battling opioid addiction,” said Chairman Williams. “These recommendations will help all of us become more effective at implementing solutions to eventually end this terrible crisis.”
Ryan Williams serves as Chairman of the House Republican Caucus. He also serves as a member of the House Finance, Ways & Means Committee and Subcommittee, as well as the House Government Operations, House Health, and the House Calendar & Rules Committees. Williams lives in Cookeville and represents House District 42, which includes a portion of Putnam County. He can be reached by email at Rep.Ryan.Williams@capitol.tn.gov or by calling (615) 741-1875.
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