HOUSE BILL REPORT

SSB 6086

As Passed House:

March 6, 2020

Title: An act relating to increasing access to medications for people with opioid use disorder.

Brief Description: Increasing access to medications for opioid use disorder.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Behavioral Health Subcommittee to Health & Long Term Care (originally sponsored by Senators Hasegawa, Keiser, Kuderer and Nguyen).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Health Care & Wellness: 2/20/20, 2/21/20 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 3/6/20, 97-0.

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 14 members: Representatives Cody, Chair; Macri, Vice Chair; Schmick, Ranking Minority Member; Chambers, Chopp, Davis, DeBolt, Harris, Maycumber, Riccelli, Robinson, Stonier, Thai and Tharinger.

Staff: Chris Blake (786-7392).

Background:

The Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (Commission) regulates the practice of pharmacy, and the distribution, manufacturing, and delivery of pharmaceuticals within and into the state. The Commission issues licenses, registrations, and certifications to qualified persons and entities and responds to complaints or reports of unprofessional conduct.

The owner of each pharmacy must: (1) file a declaration of ownership and location with the Department of Health (Department); and (2) pay an original license fee and an annual renewal fee for a license of location, which entitles the owner to operate the pharmacy at the specified location. The pharmacy owner must immediately notify the Department of any change of location or ownership.

Pharmacies are subject to periodic inspections by the Commission to determine compliance with laws regulating the practice of pharmacy, including requirements regarding licenses, patient health and safety, professional responsibilities, and facilities.

Licensed hospitals applying for a pharmacy license of location may include any individual practitioner's office or multipractitioner clinic owned and operated by a hospital and identified by the hospital on the pharmacy application or renewal. A hospital that includes one or more offices or clinics on its pharmacy application must describe the type of services relevant to the practice of pharmacy that are provided at each office or clinic, as requested by the Commission.

Summary of Bill:

The license of location for a pharmacy may be extended to a remote dispensing site where technology is used to dispense medications approved for the treatment of opioid use disorder. A pharmacy must register each separate remote dispensing site with the Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (Commission). The registration for the remote dispensing site must be considered part of the pharmacy license and if the pharmacy license is inactive, then the registration is also considered inactive.

The Commission must establish minimum standards for remote dispensing sites that address who may retrieve medications for opioid use disorder that are stored at a remote dispensing site and pharmacy responsibilities for stocking and maintaining a perpetual inventory of the medications stored at the registered remote dispensing site. The Secretary of the Department of Health may adopt a registration fee for the remote dispensing sites.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) It is important to expand people's access to this medication.  This bill will increase access to addiction treatment in the clinical setting. This bill will increase access to these medications as they are needed and where they are needed.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: Senator Hasegawa, prime sponsor; and Katie Kolan, Washington State Medical Association.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.