Pubdate: Wed, 27 May 2009
Source: Austin American-Statesman (TX)
Copyright: 2009 Austin American-Statesman
Contact:  http://www.statesman.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/32
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)

NEEDLE EXCHANGE BILL FALTERS

An attempt to keep a disputed needle exchange bill alive by tacking it
onto other legislation failed in the Senate, after Republicans
threatened to kill numerous other bills.

State Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, had agreed to amend a bill
concerning county assistance districts to include the needle bill,
which would allow county health officials to provide needle exchanges
for addicts to prevent the spread of disease.

After the needle bill was attached, Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe
Bay, and other GOP senators objected, saying they had not had enough
time to review it. West said they then threatened to delay passage of
the county assistance bill -- House Bill 3485 -- which likely would
have killed it. To prevent that from happening, Sen. Bob Deuell,
R-Greenville, then asked that his amendment be removed.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake