FINAL BILL REPORT

HB 1637

C 49 L 15

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Authorizing law enforcement and prosecutorial officials of federally recognized Indian tribes access to prescription monitoring data.

Sponsors: Representatives Stokesbary, Hurst, Gregory, Zeiger, Rodne, Stambaugh, Magendanz, Kretz, Kochmar, Santos, Appleton, Sells, Van De Wege, Robinson, Ormsby, Fey, Dent and Jinkins.

House Committee on Community Development, Housing & Tribal Affairs

Senate Committee on Health Care

Background:

In 2007 the Department of Health (DOH) was required to establish and maintain a Prescription Monitoring Program to monitor the prescribing and dispensing of all Schedule II, III, IV, and V controlled substances. Information submitted for each prescription must include at least a patient identifier, the drug dispensed, the date of dispensing, the quantity dispensed, the prescriber, and the dispenser. With certain exceptions, prescription information submitted to the DOH is confidential.

The exceptions allow the DOH to provide data in the Prescription Monitoring Program to:

• persons authorized to prescribe or dispense controlled substances;

• an individual who requests the individual's own records;

• health professional licensing, certification, or regulatory agencies;

• local, state, and federal law enforcement or prosecutorial officials who are engaged in bona fide specific investigations involving a designated person;

• authorized practitioners of the Department of Social and Health Services and the Health Care Authority regarding Medicaid recipients;

• the Director of the Department of Labor and Industries regarding workers' compensation claimants;

• the Director of the Department of Corrections regarding committed offenders;

• entities under court order; and

• DOH personnel for the purposes of administering the program.

Data may also be provided to public or private entities for statistical, research, or educational purposes after removing identifying information.

Summary:

The DOH may provide data in the Prescription Monitoring Program to law enforcement or prosecutorial officials of federally recognized tribes who are engaged in a bona fide specific investigation involving a designated person.

Votes on Final Passage: