Salt Lake Tribune
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Senate committee advances Ritalin bill
This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2007, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Posted: 2:46 PM- HB202, the so-called Ritalin bill that would prohibit school employees from recommending psychiatric medication for students passed the Senate Education Committee Thursday and is now only a floor vote and governor's signature away from becoming law.

Similar bills have been vetoed twice before, but Rep. Michael Morley, R-Spanish Fork, said the governor is comfortable with this year's bill.

Supporters say some school officials overstep their duties by pressuring parents to medicate their hyperactive children. Opponents of the bill, including doctors and support group leaders who work with hundreds of families, said they've never heard such stories. Three doctors who addressed the committee worry the bill will chill communication between teachers and parents, which is vital to accurate medical diagnoses. They also point to existing rules that bar teachers from diagnosing medical conditions.

The bill passed on a vote of 4 to 2.

What's next: Bill moves to the Senate floor.

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