SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    SB 5683

                              AS OF MARCH 1, 1991

Brief Description:  Revising provisions for the practice of pharmacy.

SPONSORS:Senators West, Wojahn and Johnson; by request of Department of Health.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & LONG‑TERM CARE

Staff:  Suzanne Brown (786‑7483)

Hearing Dates:March 6, 1991

BACKGROUND:

This bill covers a number of issues related to the Board of Pharmacy. 

Under current law, the Department of Health has the authority to charge a penalty fee for late renewal of some, but not all licenses and certificates issued by the department pursuant to laws enforced by the Board of Pharmacy.  The penalty fees are assessed only if the license remains unpaid 60 days after the due date. 

Under the Precursor Chemical Control law, administered by the Board of Pharmacy, one of the chemical names is misspelled.  In addition, a distributor located in Washington may sell a reportable chemical to an out-of-state user without having to make a report to the Board.  A similar sale to an in-state user must be reported. 

Current law also provides for an upper limit of $50 on fees that may be charged to registrants under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act.  This limit was set in 1971.  

SUMMARY:

The 60 day period during which late renewals can be renewed without penalty is eliminated, and assess the late penalty on pharmacy assistants and manufacturers who intend to distribute drug samples within the state. 

The chapter on precursor drugs applies not only to a transaction with a person in the state but also to a transaction from within the state to any person.  The spelling of methylformanide is changed to methylformamide. 

Registrants under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act may be charged by the secretary a fee consistent with the mandate that members of a profession bear the burden of the actual cost of administering the law.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested