Author Archives: Will Brownsberger

Animal abuse registry

I’ve recently received dozens of emails urging me to support legislating creating an animal abuser registry. I support the goals of this legislation, but I think it needs more work.

This spring, the legislature will consider a voter initiative to raise the income tax on people earning over one million dollars. A hearing is scheduled on Tuesday, 1/19, from 10:30 AM-1:00 PM in room B-1 in the State House. I am fully committed to vote to put the proposal on the ballot and ultimately, you the voters will decide its fate. I’m very interested in your thoughts.

Opioid Plan, Part II — Coercion and Recovery (continued)

The legislature’s emerging approach to the issue of how to handle patients admitted with overdoses is sound — it requires hospitals to offer more to people with addictions, without turning doctors into police.

Opiod Plan, Part II — Coercion and Recovery

Another big theme in the discussion about the opioid epidemic is treatment — making treatment for the disease of addiction more available in a host of ways. This piece offers background on the issue of coerced treatment and seeks feedback on the Governor’s proposal to allow physicians to hold people with addictions against their will for days or, in some cases, months for treatment.

Opioid Plan, Part I — Pain Medication and Addiction

Early next year, the legislature will likely continue efforts to address the rising dysfunction, disability and death from opioid drug abuse. Physicians face powerful conflicting goals and incentives in treating pain; pain is a real problem and addiction is a real problem. Based on what you are seeing and hearing yourself, are doctors getting the balance wrong and making pain medication too readily available?

Report on the Consensus Revenue Hearing

Today the financial leadership of the House, the Senate and the Governor’s office held their annual “consensus revenue hearing”. In short, the outlook is fair — a continuing moderate budget squeeze with some warning flags about long-term issues. But those long-term issues — health care, pensions, and financial reserves — mean that the budgetary choices over the next few months won’t be easy.