Pill Mill Bill Flies Through Senate After Compromise Reached with House

A compromise over legislation to fight pill mills was reached late Thursday night, and a bill that will impose stricter regulations on pain clinics and greater penalties for doctors who liberally and unscrupulously prescribe powerful painkillers, which law enforcement agencies say is responsible for the overdose deaths of seven Floridians each day.

The bill has passed through the Senate and now heads to the House, where it is expected to pass before going to Gov. Rick Scott. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who helped to craft the compromise, was on hand for the 39-0 vote.

"Sheand I were on the phone at midnight last night as she worked diligently in coming up with a compromise with the House," said Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey. Fasano pushed for the bill, and against a provision in an original House bill that had a cap on the amount of medication of Schedule II and Schedule III that could be prescribed each month, which was not included in the final bill.