Governor Hassan Signs Bipartisan Bill to Expand Operation Granite Hammer Statewide

Statement

Governor Maggie Hassan issued the following statement after today signing House Bill 1000, a bipartisan measure expanding Operation Granite Hammer statewide to support state and local law enforcement in combating the heroin and opioid crisis, which was part of the comprehensive legislation that the Governor proposed last fall to combat the epidemic:

"The heroin and opioid crisis is the most urgent public health and public safety challenge facing our state, requiring us to work together on a comprehensive approach to combat this horrible epidemic and help save lives. While we continue our efforts to strengthen prevention, treatment and recovery programs, we must also work to support law enforcement, and expanding Operation Granite Hammer statewide will help assist local law enforcement in communities across New Hampshire.

"Last fall, I proposed comprehensive legislation to give patients, providers, educators, parents and law enforcement better tools in the fight against substance misuse, including expanding Operation Granite Hammer statewide. I have signed a number of bipartisan bills reflecting that proposal, and after today's strong bipartisan vote, I am pleased to have now also signed this measure to support law enforcement in communities across the state through Operation Granite Hammer. I also look forward to signing measures providing $5 million to support prevention, treatment, recovery and supportive housing and upgrading the technology for our prescription drug monitoring program when they reach my desk.

"Thanks to our bipartisan work this session, we are cracking down on fentanyl, streamlining access to treatment, improving our prescription drug monitoring program, updating the rules on opioid prescribing, educating our young people about the dangers of substance misuse and providing additional resources to help those battling this crisis on the front lines save lives. Expanding Operation Granite Hammer statewide is an important part of our comprehensive approach to combat the heroin and opioid crisis, and we can now begin to work with local police departments across the state to provide this critical support.

"I applaud the legislature for working across party lines throughout the legislative session on various substance misuse measures, and in particular I want to thank Senate President Morse, Speaker Jasper, Senator Woodburn and Representative Shurtleff for their leadership and for bringing a clean Operation Granite Hammer bill forward today. We have made significant bipartisan progress to combat substance misuse this year, but we must continue working together at all levels and remain vigilant in our efforts to combat the heroin and opioid crisis and save lives."

Including House Bill 1000, Governor Hassan has now signed -- or will soon sign -- numerous components of the comprehensive legislation that she proposed last fall. So far this year, the Governor has signed bipartisan legislation cracking down on fentanyl, limiting prior authorization requirements for treatment, making improvements to New Hampshire's prescription drug monitoring program, requiring all prescribing boards to update prescribing rules for opioids and establishing a statewide drug court program.

The Governor will also sign bipartisan measures providing an additional $5 million for prevention, treatment and recovery programs as well as supportive housing and upgrading the technology for the prescription drug monitoring program when they reach her desk.

In addition, the Governor fought to reauthorize the bipartisan New Hampshire Health Protection Program, which has provided substance misuse and behavioral health services to thousands of Granite Staters, and she has revised licensing requirements to make it easier for providers to open treatment facilities, worked to increase the safe and effective use of Narcan, and launched a statewide substance misuse hotline to help connect individuals with resources 24 hours a day, seven days a week. She has also signed bipartisan bills allowing drug take-back programs at pharmacies, simplifying the licensing process for alcohol and drug abuse counselors who move to New Hampshire.

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