CT SB00483

Chief Court Administrator shall study the feasibility of establishing specialized opioid courts to handle criminal and juvenile cases involving opioid-dependent defendants, with a report due January 1, 2019.

Prescribing practitioners and pharmacists may distribute opioid antagonists (naloxone) through agreements with law enforcement, emergency medical services, and community organizations, with liability protections for those distributing the medication.

Physicians, nurse practitioners, and other licensed practitioners are prohibited from prescribing controlled substances in schedules II-IV to immediate family members except in emergencies (limited to 72-hour supply), and are similarly restricted from self-prescribing except in emergencies.

Hospitals and emergency medical services personnel must report opioid overdoses to the Department of Public Health beginning January 1, 2019, with data shared to local health departments for preventive initiatives.

Department of Correction shall expand its medication-assisted treatment pilot program for inmates with opioid use disorder, seeking federal funding and reporting on expansion plans by January 1, 2020.