A needle exchange program some lawmakers have been trying to get off the ground for years is moving in the House.
South Florida Democrats have been lobbying for a Miami Dade needle exchange program for years. The proposal has done well in the Senate but the House has been reticent. But now holdouts like Rep. Matt Hudson (R-Naples) are throwing their support behind the bill.
“While I wasn’t prepared to vote for the bill today, to be honest with you,” Hudson says, “I’m able to vote for it now because the amendment makes it better and adds in a responsibility piece that frankly matters.”
Under the changes the program will also help connect drug users with counseling and addiction services. Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami will administer the program.
