Illinois lawmakers' attack on heroin abuse is law despite a partial veto by Gov. Bruce Rauner.
The law requires emergency authorities and school nurses to carry and administer medication that reverses overdoses. It also increases education for school kids and anyone taking prescription opioids, as well as provides more treatment options and less jail time for users.
The Senate voted 44-11 to override the Republican governor's amendatory veto of the plan to expand Medicaid health care coverage for treatment and medication.
Rauner struck from the bill a provision to expand Medicaid health coverage for the poor to include the popular treatment drug methadone and the overdose antidote called Narcan.
Rauner pointed out that Medicaid already covers several types of heroin medication.
