Assembly committee to hold hearing on opioid bills

MADISON — The state Assembly's criminal justice committee is set to hold a hearing on three bills designed to slow opioid abuse.

The measures would allow school nurses to administer overdose antidotes, increase funding for treatment and diversion programs by $2.4 million and lay out $420,000 annually to hire four more drug agents in the state Justice Department. The criminal justice committee's hearing on the bills was set for Thursday morning.

The proposals are part of an 11-bill anti-opioid package that Republican Rep. John Nygren has crafted. Gov. Scott Walker called a special legislative session in January to pass the measures.

The state Senate's judiciary committee was expected to vote later Thursday on another bill from the package that would grant legal immunity for people who overdose on opioids.