CO HB1242

Requires Colorado's Division of Registrations to establish by January 1, 2013 an electronic biometric prescribing system that monitors and records prescription drug and restricted over-the-counter substance dispensing using biometric identifiers like fingerprints or retinal scans.

Mandates that practitioners and prescription drug outlets maintain operational biometric scanning devices connected to a secure database and obtain biometric scans from patients before prescribing or dispensing medications.

Requires submission of prescription information to the database including drug name, strength, quantity, prescriber name and address, and patient name and address in encrypted format, with the database assigning unique identifying numbers and transmitting conflict alerts.

Provides exemptions for substances administered directly to patients, emergency dispensing limited to 72 hours, inpatient facility medications, and drugs prescribed to patients under 16 years of age.

Establishes a class 1 misdemeanor penalty for practitioners or outlets who knowingly fail to comply with the biometric monitoring requirements.