Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 246-945-178 Pharmacist continuing education and 246-945-220 Pharmacy technician—Continuing education. The pharmacy quality assurance commission (commission) is proposing amending sections of chapter 246-945 WAC relating to continuing education (CE) requirements to establish minimum standards for health equity CE training programs.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: ESSB 5229 (chapter 276, Laws of 2021), codified as RCW 43.70.613, requires rule-making authorities to establish health equity CE. Per RCW 43.70.613(1), "each health profession licensed under Title 18 RCW subject to continuing education requirements." There are two professions under the jurisdiction of the commission subject to CE requirements under Title 18 RCW: Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. The department is responsible for conducting model rule making that, once complete, the commission can either adopt the minimum requirements or establish its own rule making pertaining to health equity training as an element of existing CE requirements. The commission's CE requirements must meet, at a minimum, the same requirements as the model rules. The commission must complete its rule making on this issue by January 1, 2024.

The purpose of health equity CE training is to develop skills among licensed health care personnel to "address structural factors, such as bias, racism, and poverty that manifest as health inequities" per RCW 43.70.613 (3)(c). Establishing training requirements for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians will help identify and address ongoing health inequities in Washington state and promote overall patient safety.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Joshua Munroe, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, phone 360-236-2987, fax 360-236-2901, TTY 711, email PharmacyRules@doh.wa.gov.

Additional comments: Rule development takes place in open public meetings prior to a formal rule proposal and comment period. All rule-making notices are sent via GovDelivery. To receive notices, interested persons may sign up by going to https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADOH/subscriber/new. After signing up, please click open the box labeled "Health Systems Quality Assurance." Next, click open the box labeled "Health Professions," and check the boxes next to either "Pharmacy Commission Meeting and Agenda" and/or "Pharmacy Commission Newsletter."