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A compromise opioid bill released by a House and Senate conference committee Tuesday evening rejects stricter controls proposed by Gov. Charlie Baker, but still imposes new limits opioid prescriptions. (Bebinger, 3/8)

Since the 1970s, the hard on crime ethos has fueled the era of mass incarceration. Simultaneously, the country defunded public mental health services. A ballooning criminal justice system came in to fill that vacuum. Now the Florida Legislature is poised to reform the way mental illness is handled in that system. (Payne, 3/9)

Allowing pharmacists to give more vaccines to children became a debate about access versus the fracturing of health care Tuesday in the House Health and Human Services Committee. House Bill 2646 drew support from pharmacist associations while groups representing doctors opposed it, citing concerns about record-keeping and continuity of care. (Kite, 3/8)

The leader of a group that represents Kansas nursing homes told state senators Tuesday that facilities will have to close if a bed tax increase doesn’t pass. The bill would increase a “bed tax” on nursing homes and use the proceeds to draw down more federal Medicaid funds, which would go back to the nursing homes in the form of payments for services provided to residents on Medicaid. (Marso, 3/8)

Much of the controversy over electronic smoking focuses on whether health risks are associated with it. But in Indiana much more esoteric concerns could significantly narrow the number of vape shops open in the Hoosier state. This week the Indiana General Assembly adopted a measure that would increase regulations on manufacturers of e-liquids, the inhaled substance inside the cigarette or vaporizer. In addition to requiring that mixing be done in a clean room and that business owners undergo background checks, the measure also stipulates that manufacturers adhere to rigorous security requirements that some in the industry fear could wind up putting many out of business. (Rudavsky, 3/8)