New York legislators want to postpone until next year the deadline for doctors to issue only electronic drug prescriptions, saying many still lack needed federal approval.

The bill has passed the state Senate and the Assembly Health Committee.

Assemblyman John McDonald, sponsor and practicing pharmacist, says he expects the full Assembly to pass it in two weeks.

The electronic prescriptions — connected to a central database that doctors and pharmacists can check — are intended to prevent fraud and doctor shopping for painkillers.

McDonald says about 98 percent of pharmacists will meet the March 27 deadline but a significant number of physicians won’t because of contracts with various computer system vendors who still need Drug Enforcement Administration approval.

A spokesman for Gov. Andrew Cuomo says they’ll review the bill.

(AP)