By Associated Press - Thursday, March 2, 2017

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The Latest on anti-opioid bills moving through the Wisconsin Legislature (all times local):

1:20 p.m.

A state Senate committee has overwhelmingly approved bills that would grant people who overdose on opioids legal immunity and lay out money for more state drug agents.

The first measure would ensure heroin users who overdose would be immune from prosecution for drug possession and ensure their probation, parole or extended supervision could be revoked for possession. The second bill would allocate $840,000 over the next two years for four additional drug agents within the state Department of Justice.

The votes move the immunity bill to the full Senate and the drug agents bill to the Legislature’s budget committee.

The bills are part of an 11-bill package Rep. John Nygren has introduced to slow opioid addiction. Gov. Scott Walker called a special legislative session in January to pass the package.

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10:40 a.m.

A Wisconsin legislator is trying to convince the Assembly’s criminal justice committee to sign off on a trio of bills designed to slow opioid addiction.

Rep. John Nygren’s bills would allow school employees to administer overdose antidotes, pump another $2.4 million into treatment and diversion programs and lay out $840,000 over the next two years to hire four more drug agents in the state Justice Department.

The Assembly’s criminal justice committee held a public hearing on the bills Thursday. Nygren told the panel that the bills will save lives, help rehabilitate addicts and combat drug trafficking. Attorney General Brad Schimel submitted written remarks supporting the measures.

The bills are part of a package of 11 proposals Nygren has crafted to fight opioid addictions. Gov. Scott Walker called a special legislative session in January to pass the measures.

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8:55 a.m.

The state Assembly’s criminal justice committee is set to hold a hearing on three bills designed to slow opioid abuse.

The measures would allow school nurses to administer overdose antidotes, increase funding for treatment and diversion programs by $2.4 million and lay out $420,000 annually to hire four more drug agents in the state Justice Department. The criminal justice committee’s hearing on the bills was set for Thursday morning.

The proposals are part of an 11-bill anti-opioid package that Republican Rep. John Nygren has crafted. Gov. Scott Walker called a special legislative session in January to pass the measures.

The state Senate’s judiciary committee was expected to vote later Thursday on another bill from the package that would grant legal immunity for people who overdose on opioids.

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