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GA SB418

Bill

Status

Engrossed

3/24/2010

Primary Sponsor

Earl Carter

Click for details

Origin

Senate

2009-2010 Regular Session

AI Summary

  • Establishes an electronic prescription drug monitoring program administered by the Georgia State Board of Pharmacy, in consultation with the Georgia Composite Medical Board, to track the prescribing and dispensing of Schedule II, III, IV, and V controlled substances
  • Requires dispensers to submit detailed prescription data weekly (including patient name, date of birth, drug dispensed, prescriber ID, and quantity) to the electronic database, with exemptions for hospital inpatient pharmacies, correctional facility pharmacies, and facilities demonstrating undue hardship
  • Prescription information is confidential and exempt from open records laws, with access limited to authorized prescribers/dispensers for patient care, licensing boards, law enforcement with a subpoena, and courts of competent jurisdiction; all data must be deleted after two years
  • Creates an eight-member Electronic Database Review Advisory Committee—including representatives from pharmacy, medical, dental, and optometry boards, as well as an oncologist, hospice representative, addiction specialist, and consumer representative—to advise on data collection, access, security, and operations
  • Imposes criminal penalties including misdemeanor charges (up to 12 months imprisonment and $1,000 fine) for dispensers who knowingly fail to report, and felony charges (up to 15 years imprisonment and $250,000 fine for repeat offenders) for unauthorized disclosure of database information; effective date is July 1, 2010

Legislative Description

Controlled Substances; establishment of a program; monitoring of prescribing/dispensing Schedule II, III, IV, or V

Last Action

Senate Agrees House Amend or Sub

4/29/2010

Committee Referrals

Health and Human Services3/26/2010
Health and Human Services2/16/2010

Full Bill Text

No bill text available