Hypodermic Needle Bill in Senate today

Senate Votes on Hypodermic Needles Today
          The Senate votes today on legislation that would make hypodermic needles available at pharmacies without a prescription.
          If passed, anyone who wants the needles for non-medical reasons, such as drug addicts, will be able to buy them over the counter. Opponents of the bill say that the proliferation of needles will undoubtedly lead to such medical waste being either improperly disposed of, or simply left in the streets by addicts.
          Proponents of the bill believe that making the needles available will help reduce the spread of the transmission of HIV, AIDS and Hepatitis C among drug users.
          The Senate adopted an order yesterday requiring all amendments to the bill, which received initial Senate approval last week, to be filed electronically by 11 a.m. today. Sen. Richard Moore (D-Uxbridge), the Health Care Financing Committee co-chairman and a proponent of the bill, told the State House News Service after yesterday’s session that he expects the amendments to be voted on today and that the Senate will vote on whether to send the bill back to the House, where it’s previously been approved.
          Gov. Romney will likely veto the bill, but there’s sufficient support for the bill in the House to override a likely veto. It is unclear whether the Senate could override the veto. There has been much opposition to this measure in various cities across the state. We will report on that tomorrow.