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House Panel Sidetracks Haslam's Anti-Meth Proposal

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A House subcommittee has sidetracked Governor Bill Haslam's anti-meth proposal while advancing a rival measure that would place lesser restrictions on buying cold and allergy medicines used to make the illegal drug.

State Rep. Tony Shipley, the chairman of the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee, said his measure would restrict the annual amount of pseudoephedrine people could buy to an eight-month supply, while the governor's version would set the limit at a 2 1/2-month supply.

The Kingsport Republican said there aren't the votes on his committee or in the House to pass the governor's more restrictive measure.

A spokesman for the governor did not immediately return a message seeking comment, but House Majority Leader Gerald McCormick said Shipley "made a terrible mistake" by advancing his bill before Haslam's.

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