Jefferson City — With final passage of Senate Bill 63 this week, Missouri will no longer be the only state in the nation without a statewide prescription drug monitoring program. State Sen. Holly Rehder, R-Scott City, advocated for passage of the bill throughout eight years in the House of Representatives, finally getting the measure across the legislative finish line during her freshman year in the upper chamber.

“Clearly, I don’t give up easily,” Sen. Rehder said. “I’m so very thankful for the bipartisan support. This bill is not about politics, it’s about helping our families and those struggling with substance use disorder. Prescription drug monitoring programs are incredibly effective tools that help medical professionals recognize signs of addiction and prevent dangerous drug interactions. This is a huge step for our state in fighting the opioid epidemic.”

The legislation headed to the governor’s desk limits access to private information to medical professionals, specifically prohibits the information from being used to deny firearm purchases and includes a rolling purge of the data. A task force of health care professionals will administer the new program.

For more information about Sen. Rehder, visit www.senate.mo.gov/Rehder.