Dear Friend,
The 2009 Legislative Session was one of the toughest sessions in a long time, and I can’t tell you enough how great it is to be back home. Since returning from Tallahassee, I’ve been speaking at various meetings throughout the district to give an update on what happened during session. Everywhere I go people are excited to hear about the prescription drug monitoring bill that I sponsored, however, I need your help to encourage the Governor to sign the bill.
Unfortunately, a few House Members who have opposed the bill since it was first introduced are encouraging the Governor to veto the bill even though it passed the Legislature with overwhelming support in both the House and Senate.
I need you to write Governor Crist today and tell him that Florida can no longer afford to lose nine lives a day due to prescription drug overdoses. By signing SB 462 and SB 440 he will give physicians and law enforcement officials an essential tool to prevent the abuse, misuse, and illegal sale of prescription drugs. Florida’s lack of a prescription drug monitoring system has made our state a target for obtaining controlled substances to sell illegally here and in nearby states that have a monitoring system in place. Our state has unfortunately made news throughout the country for becoming the nation’s pill mill, and was even featured on NBC Nightly News in a report that detailed how easy it is in Florida for criminals to obtain large supplies of prescription drugs illegally.
Please call Governor Crist at (850) 488-4441 or e-mail him at Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com, and encourage him to help put a stop to this epidemic by signing the prescription drug monitoring bill.
You can also send a letter to:
Office of Governor Charlie Crist
State of Florida
The Capitol
400 S. Monroe St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
Thank you for your support, and hopefully Governor Crist will listen to the many people throughout Florida who support this important piece of legislation.
State Representative Kelly Skidmore