Walker signs new laws in Green Bay to bolster state's effort to fight opioid crisis

GREEN BAY - Two opioid-related bills designed to give additional resources to law enforcement to handle drug cases and require proof of continuing education for medical professionals were signed into law by Gov. Scott Walker Monday.

The bills are part of the state's Heroin, Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) agenda. Monday's bill signing at Bellin Hospital in Green Bay brought the number of laws created to fighting the opioid crisis to 30.

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Signing the bill publicly was a way to shed additional light on the issue, Walker said.

"Addiction knows no boundaries," he said.

Assembly Bill 906 creates grant programs "related to drug trafficking, evidence-based

substance abuse prevention, juvenile and family treatment courts, and drug

treatment for inmates of county jails." The bill also creates two Department of Justice attorney positions to help with drug-related cases. It adds a total of $2.75 million for general purpose revenue and $500,000 in federal block grant money.

Assembly Bill 907 requires medical personnel who prescribe controlled substances to submit proof of continuing education for best practices for prescribing controlled substances when applying to renew a license.

Walker credited state Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, with being the impetus behind the HOPE agenda.

"None this would have happened if John Nygren had not stepped up in front and said 'We've got to do something,'" he told those gathered.

Nygren's daughter, Cassandra Nygren, 28, has fought a public battle with addiction.

"We're far from having won the battle. As long as we see people continuing to struggle with addiction and die from overdoses, there is not going to be any 'mission accomplished' declared today," Nygren said at the signing.

Cassandra Nygren

Nygren spoke about his daughter after the bills were signed.

"Unfortunately, her struggles have continued, but when I've been able to see some the results of what we have done and actually know that you're saving lives and changing lives. It's become bigger than just a personal effort for us. It's become a call to action, I guess," Nygren said.

Cassandra Nygren is being held at the Brown County Jail on suspicion of selling drugs that caused the overdose death of a pregnant woman and her unborn child. She is charged with two counts of reckless homicide and several related drug charges. Her court case is scheduled for a status conference next week.