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