The House Health and Human Services Committee gave a preliminary nod to a measure backed by House Speaker Dean Cannon that would limit physicians’ ability to dispense drugs and scrap current laws regulating pain management clinics.

The measure (PCB HHSC 11-03) would also allow felons to own and operate “pill mills,” a prohibition lawmakers passed two years ago after it was reported that some of the clinics were owned by convicted drug dealers.

The committee is getting ready to pass a second measure (PCB HHSC 11-04) that would repeal the state’s yet-to-be implemented prescription drug database.

Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, has insisted he wants to get the database up and running and is willing to spend the $500,000 a year to operate it although lawmakers barred any state money to fund the program.

Attorney General Bill McCollum sent a letter to Gov. Charlie Crist today urging him to approve a bill that would track prescription drugs sold in Florida.

The bill (SB 462) has been somewhat controversial, despite itsunanimous approval in the Senate and an overwhelming 103-10 vote of support in the House.

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UPDATE: We were provided the wrong letter earlier. This post was updated to include the correct letter and correct names.

More fallout from the prescription drug bill:

Speaker Designate Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park was among 13 Republican leaders who sent this letter Gov. Charlie Crist today asking him to veto a bill to create a prescription drug database. The letter is in reaction to a story about a similar database getting hacked in Virginia and held for ransom.

It’s probably worth pointing out 10 of the 13 were the only “no” votes against the bill in either chamber. The three other Republicans – Adam Hasner of Boca Raton, Anitere Flores of Miami and Dean Cannon of Winter Park – did not vote when the bill was debated in the chamber.

Meanwhile, Rep. Carl Domino, R-Jupiter, sent this e-mail to Florida drug czar Bill Janes asking him to join in the call for a veto.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Marcello Llorente, a Miami Republican who told Post on Politics that Crist should still sign the measure into law:

“There are numerous safeguards in the legislation to ensure the protection of personal information. I am confident the Task Force created in the bill will yield recommendations that uphold the highest level of security for personal information contained within the database. The tragic deaths of almost ten Floridians a day must stop. I urge the Governor to sign this bill expeditiously in an effort to end the practice of doctor shopping and help ensure that pill mills enabling the senseless loss of life are put out of business.”

Rep. Carl Domino, R-Jupiter, wrote tonight to House Speaker Larry Cretul and Senate President Jeff Atwater asking them to re-open debate on a bill when the chambers return for budget business on Thursday and Friday. Domino wants lawmakers to reconsider their decision to create a prescription drug database after similar software was hacked in Virgina.

If (when?) the request is denied, watch for Domino and other Republicans — possibly Cretul included — to write to Crist asking him to veto the bill.

Continue reading for Domino’s letter.

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UPDATE: Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, a co-sponsor of Florida’s legislation: “We need to ensure that Florida’s system uses top-of-the-line technology to eliminate the threat from hackers. The bill I proposed would have done so, and the bill that ultimately passed can do so as well. “

Among the concerns about creating a database that tracks prescription drug purchases in Florida was that it could be hacked into and put thousands of identities at risk. A majority of lawmakers, however, approved the bill (SB 462), which is on its way to Gov. Charlie Crist for final approval.

Meanwhile, the Washington Post reports that the same system in Virginia has been compromised and hackers are demanding ransom.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” said Rep. Carl Domino, R-Jupiter. Domino led an unsuccessful attempt to amend an anti-hacker measure to the bill, requiring the state to use software that would keep the information in alpha-numeric codes.

“The sponsor of the bill and the drug czar (Bill Janes) were so desperate to do something that they weren’t going to let a single amendment on. This hasn’t worked on any state in the union,” Domino said.

A drug database — which supporters say could crack down on Floridians who use the same prescription at several pharmacies — has been debated for years in the legislature.

Former Gov. Jeb Bush was among the early supporters. He applauded lawmakers for approving the measure.

“Haven’t seen the details,” he wrote in an e-mail, “but if it is comprehensive and implemented correctly, it will save lives.