FRANKFORT- The controversial bill barely made it out of committee. 

Senate Bill 132, sponsored by Sen. Paul Hornback, R-Shelbyville, would remove the requirement that nurse pracitioners have a collobrative agreement with physicans to prescribe controlled substances. 

Currently--APRN's must have that agreement--they say it's sometimes difficult to get a waiver preventing them from providing needed care in their communities.

Those in support of the bill say this  will increase access to healthcare for those in rural communities.

"SB 132 will increase treatment options for Kentuckians addicted to opioids, it will also end one of the problems patients are having with NP provided healthcare," said Jessica Estes, President, Kentucky Coalition of Nurse Pracititioners and Nurse Midwives. "One of our MCO's and several major credentialing companies have declined to contract with APRN's unless our physicians are also in those networks."

Those against say it could increase prescription of controlled substances in a state that is sufffering an opioid epidemic. 

"This is something the physican community simply cannot support," said Dr. Molly Rutherford, with Kentucky Academy of Family Physicians. "One thing is clear, there is no need to increase access to controlled substances." 

Despite four Senators voting no the bill passed out of commmittee. Those who voted no were: Sen. Denise Harper Angel, D-Louisville, Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Taylor Mill, Sen. Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, and Sen. John Schickel, R-Union.