CA SB482

Health care practitioners must consult the CURES database before prescribing Schedule II, III, or IV controlled substances for the first time and at least once every 4 months thereafter if treatment continues.

Consultation must occur no earlier than 24 hours or the previous business day before prescribing; veterinarians and pharmacists are exempt from this requirement.

Exemptions apply for patients in facilities, emergency departments, hospice care, surgical procedures with limited supply, or when database access is not reasonably possible or operational.

Practitioners who fail to consult CURES must be referred to their state professional licensing board for administrative sanctions only; this does not create a private cause of action.

Requirements become effective 6 months after the Department of Justice certifies the CURES database is ready for statewide use with adequate staff, user support, and education.