SENATE BILL REPORT
SSB 5565
As Passed Senate, March 10, 2001
Title: An act relating to controlled substance orders and prescriptions.
Brief Description: Dispensing controlled substance orders and prescriptions.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care (originally sponsored by Senators Deccio, Thibaudeau and Kohl‑Welles).
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Health & Long‑Term Care: 2/5/01, 2/27/01 [DPS].
Passed Senate: 3/10/01, 49-0.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & LONG‑TERM CARE
Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5565 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.
Signed by Senators Thibaudeau, Chair; Franklin, Vice Chair; Costa, Deccio, Fraser, Parlette and Winsley.
Staff: Joan K. Mell (786‑7447)
Background: Schedule II controlled substances are drugs regulated under the state Uniform Controlled Substances Act and federal law. The law requires a prescription for these drugs to be dispensed. Common names for some of the Schedule II drugs are morphine, methadone, and Ritalin. The Federal Drug Enforcement Administration is streamlining its procedures, and by rule has authorized the use of facsimile prescriptions from physician to pharmacy under certain circumstances.
Summary of Bill: Physicians and their agents are authorized to facsimile transmit prescription information to a pharmacy, and the pharmacy is permitted to dispense the Schedule II substance based on the faxed prescription for patients in a long-term care facility or hospice licensed by the state. In addition, a pharmacy can dispense a Schedule II injectable substance that is to be compounded for patient use pursuant to a fax.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Testimony For: This is a technical bill needed to comply with changes in federal law that simplify the processes for dispensing controlled substances.
Testimony Against: None.
Testified: Rod Shafer, WSPA, Exec. Dir. (pro); Gail McGaffick, WA State Hospice Organization (pro w/amend); Mark Rake‑Marona, WA State Hospice Organization, Franciscan Hospice (pro w/amend).
House Amendment(s): A technical change was made without impacting the substantive provisions of the bill. Rather than referring to hospice care programs, the bill refers to hospice programs.