OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Kansas Senator John Vratil, a partner at the law firm of Lathrop & Gage L.C., received the Kansas Public Service Award from the Kansas City chapter of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. The award recognizes Vratil's work on Senate Bill 123, which was passed by the Kansas Legislature during the 2003 session and became law on Nov. 1. The bill was introduced by the Kansas Sentencing Commission, of which Vratil is a member. Vratil. serves as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Senate Bill 123 makes major changes in the state's penalties and sentencing policies for possession of illegal drugs; it requires treatment programs for nonviolent drug possession offenders instead of imprisonment. Under the statute, those who fail to complete drug treatment twice or are convicted for a third offense will go to prison. The act is expected to save hundreds of prison beds each year and to prevent repeat offenses through rehabilitation. Kansas is among the first states to adopt a program of this sort.

The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence is the country's oldest national advocacy health organization dealing exclusively with alcoholism and drug dependence. Its mission is to reduce the impact of alcohol, drugs and other addictions by providing quality services to individuals, families and the community.

Lathrop & Gage is a full-service law firm with offices in Overland Park, Kan.; Kansas City, Mo.; St. Louis, Mo., Jefferson City, Mo.; Springfield, Mo., Boulder, Colo., and Washington, D.C., with a regional, national and international practice in corporate, litigation, environmental, intellectual property, labor and employment, health care, real estate, financial institutions, tax, wealth strategies, bankruptcy and creditors' rights and tort litigation. For more information, visit www.lathropgage.com.