The bill passed in April without the provision. It requires doctors to take full medical histories before prescribing narcotic painkillers, among other regulatory enhancements.
"To have good pain control is essential, and anything that would hamper access to any medication would be a problem," said Sharon Brigner, deputy vice president for state advocacy for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, a Washington-based trade group. "These are not illicit drugs. These are drugs prescribed to patients for legitimate reasons."