NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Democrat Rep. Jason Probst said there is a House hearing Wednesday on an issue he's been working on for a while, decriminalizing fentanyl testing strips.
"This bill is actually broader than what we looked at last year," Probst said. "In addition to decriminalizing fentanyl test strips, we've included testing strips for ketamine and the date rape drug, because currently, under the law, those would be illegal as well. We put that in there, but also it would create an opioid overdose fatality review board."
The goal is to find out if there are circumstances that could have prevented the overdose deaths. The hope is to be able to deal with these issues by themselves.
"At this point in the session, there is a better chance that you can get a standalone bill through the House and the Senate," Probst said. "We've passed a couple of things out on the House floor already this year. If we can keep that going and get that done sooner, maybe it doesn't get wrapped up in the bundling that happens at conference committee."
The hearing begins at 1:30 p.m. in room 112-N in the Capitol.
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