Legislature ends special session after passing pill bill and road fund

State legislators accomplished their two goals in the five-day special session on Friday, passing a road budget bill for more than $4 billion and a measure aimed at better regulating prescription pills.

House and Senate leaders agreed on some changes to the prescription pill abuse bill, such as not moving the KASPER prescription monitoring system to the attorney general’s office — for the moment.

The session wasn’t without its fireworks, mostly between Republican Senate President David Williams and Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear. The two sparred over the road bill. But Beshear praised the legislature for finishing the two bills Friday.

“Even though the final version of the prescription drug bill doesn’t include every element we had hoped, it is an enormous bipartisan accomplishment, and it restores Kentucky as a leading state in innovative tactics in battling prescription drug abuse.  The elements of the bill will also help prevent Kentucky from becoming a source state for prescription pills,” Beshear said. “Lawmakers also passed the Transportation budget; a $2.4 billion plan which includes all funds allocated to build and maintain roads in Kentucky, and also authorizes operations such as snow and ice removal, traffic management planning, bridge inspections and many other necessary services.  Those projects create jobs in every county, ensure safe roads for our families, and protect and promote commerce not only within our counties but also among our surrounding states and region.“