AN ACT Relating to repealing a tax preference for prescription drug warehousing firms to invest in rural and high-need area opioid use disorder treatment and support infrastructures; adding new sections to chapter 70.12 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 82.32 RCW; repealing RCW 82.04.272; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 70.12 RCW to read as follows:

(1)(a) The secretary of health, in coordination with the health care authority and the University of Washington's alcohol and drug abuse institute, must develop a grant program to provide funding to accountable communities of health, the Dr. Robert Bree Collaborative, the University of Washington, Washington State University, and the department of health.

(b) The grant program may only offer grants in the amount available in the opioid use disorder treatment account.

(c) The secretary of health must also develop a reporting requirement for grantees. Grantees must report on how grant moneys are used and the benefits derived from the grant moneys.

(2) Grants provided under this section may be provided to programs that are focused on increasing access to medication-assisted treatment, including programs that:

(a) Increase education and support for medication-assisted treatment providers, including physicians, advanced registered nurse practitioners, and physician assistants;

(b) Link mental health supports with primary care;

(c) Use care coordinators who can assist the patient in connecting to mental health care and primary care providers and also ensure that the mental health care and primary care providers are communicating about individual patient progress and needs;

(d) Use peer support;

(e) Provide in-office support to primary care treatment offices;

(f) Allow primary care offices in rural areas to share resources and staff;

(g) Are developed in accountable communities of health that are able to demonstrate a lack of treatment opportunities and a high rate of deaths associated with opioid drug use;

(h) Develop or implement evidence-based best practices to treat opiate use disorders;

(i) Use data to detect opioid misuse/abuse, improve prescribing practices, and monitor morbidity and mortality; and

(j) The secretary determines meets the goals of increasing access to medication-assisted treatment.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 70.12 RCW to read as follows:

The opioid use disorder treatment account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from the tax on warehousing and selling prescription drugs as estimated by section 3 of this act must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only to provide grants to qualifying accountable communities of health and the University of Washington and Washington State University as provided in section 1 of this act. Only the secretary of health or the secretary's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 82.32 RCW to read as follows:

(1) By the last workday of the second calendar quarter, the state treasurer must transfer the amount specified in subsection (2) of this section from the general fund to the opioid use disorder treatment account under section 2 of this act. The first transfer under this subsection (1) must occur by June 30, 2017.

(2) By June 15th of each year, the department must estimate the increase to the general fund due to the repeal of the tax preference in section 4 of this act and notify the state treasurer of the estimated amount.

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