The State House has passed a bill to crack down on pill mills in Georgia.

The measure by Rep. Tom Weldon (R-Ringgold) would require that only doctors could own or manage pain clinics to prevent someone from just walking in and getting a prescription for pain medication.

 “A pill mill is organized crime setting up shop in Georgia and in your community and in my community,” he says.

Weldon says right now law enforcement has no tools to go after such clinics that typically charge $400 for an exam and then dispense the medications as well for an additional fee.

The clinics would be subject to licensing by the Georgia composite medical board and doctors could lose their license for violating provision in the law.

The bill passed the House 150-15 now goes to the Senate.