Public Hearing that the House Opioid Abuse Prevention Study Committee will be holding in Charleston on Wednesday, August 16, 2017 from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.  The Public Hearing will be held at a meeting room at Trident Technical College, room to be announced.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

April 24, 2017

 

Speaker Lucas Creates House Opioid Abuse Prevention Study Committee

Tasks Group with Finding Legislative Solutions to Curb Epidemic

(Columbia, SC) – House Speaker Jay Lucas (District 65-Darlington) issued the following statement today upon appointing and creating the House Opioid Abuse Prevention Study Committee. This group will begin meeting before the end of session and continue working during the off-season to study legislative solutions that will help curb the growing opioid epidemic.

“Opioid abuse and addiction is a rapidly growing epidemic that must be curtailed before it destroys more families and lives in South Carolina. This issue affects every community and does not discriminate against race, age, gender, socioeconomic class or profession. Because opioid abuse is different from other drug addictions, it is most important to consider and study every available option to prevent further damage and loss of life. I am confident the House Opioid Abuse Prevention Study Committee is most capable of identifying preventive measures and finding ways to increase treatment options to better protect South Carolinians from opioid abuse,” said Speaker Jay Lucas said.

The House Opioid Abuse Prevention Study Committee is comprised of a select group of House Members from various legislative committees, professional backgrounds, and districts that share the firsthand knowledge and personal experience best suited to address this important issue. Speaker Lucas has selected Representative Eric Bedingfield (District 28-Greenville) to serve as Chairman of this committee and believes that he is unquestionably the best choice for the job given his dedication to fighting opioid abuse.

Representative Eric Bedingfield stated, “To me personally, this is the number one health and family issue facing South Carolina and our Nation. It is vital that we as leaders in South Carolina do all we can to address this epidemic. I do not want to have to console another family who lost a loved one to opioid abuse. I am honored to have Speaker Lucas entrust me to chair this effort. Through me, my son will save lives even in death.”

Additional membership includes: Reps. Terry Alexander (District 59-Florence), Todd Atwater (District 87-Lexington), Chandra Dillard (District 23-Greenville), MaryGail Douglas (District 41-Fairfield), Shannon Erickson (District 124-Beaufort), Russell Fry (District 106-Horry), Phyllis Henderson (District 21-Greenville), Lee Hewitt (District 108-Georgetown), Chip Huggins (District 85-Lexington), Mandy Norrell (District 44-Lancaster), Bobby Ridgeway (District 64-Clarendon), Todd Rutherford (District 74-Richland), Kit Spires (District 96-Lexington), David Weeks (District 51-Sumter) and Jay West (District 7-Anderson).