Hassan Calls for Special Session to Address Substance Abuse

Gov. Maggie Hassan wants lawmakers to come back to Concord for a special session on Nov. 18 to address the state's substance abuse crisis.

She will ask the five-member Executive Council to call the Legislature into a special session at Wednesday's meeting. The council is made up of three Republicans and two Democrats.

If the session is approved, Hassan says she'd like to take up legislation increasing penalties for dealing the prescription drug fentanyl, requiring state medical boards to revamp their rules from prescribing opioids, and strengthening the state's prescription drug monitoring program, among other things.

Hassan says she'd also like to see roughly $11 million in new spending across various state agencies, including $5 million more for the Governor's Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, Treatment and Recovery.