A mere 16 days after it was first introduced, and less than a week past the deadline Gov. Chris Christie laid out in his State of the State Address, a wide-ranging measure to address the state’s opioid crisis has been signed into law.

Within an hour of final passage in the Assembly, Gov. Christie signed bill S-3, sponsored by Sens. Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford) and Joseph Vitale (D-Woodbridge) and Assemblymen Vincent Prieto (D-Secaucus) and Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield). The legislation mandates immediate insurance coverage for 180 days of inpatient substance use treatment when determined medically necessary, without any utilization review, delay or denial. The mandate applies to state-based private insurance and state health plans, but does not apply to federally regulated plans or Medicaid.

The bill also limits initial prescriptions of opioids for acute or chronic pain to five days and stipulates that the prescription must be for the lowest effective dose. The bill further requires prescribers to have conversations with patients about the potential risks of opioid medication and make a note in their medical record. Additionally, the measure requires prescribers to obtain continuing education credits on prescribing opioids.

The new law will take effect May 16, 90 days after enactment.