S.B. 616: Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Enforcement (HOPE) Act of 2018

• Expands controlled substance penalties by broadening "trafficking in substituted cathinones" to cover all cathinone compounds at 28+ grams, and increases penalties for opioid trafficking to 4+ grams with mandatory minimum sentences ranging from 70-282 months and fines of $50,000-$500,000.

• Establishes new law enforcement access to prescription records through certified diversion investigators at qualified law enforcement agencies, with oversight by the State Bureau of Investigation, Diversion & Environmental Crimes Unit.

• Creates criminal penalties for unauthorized access to the controlled substances reporting system, including Class I felony for intentional access without authorization and Class H felony for willful disclosure for commercial advantage or malicious harm.

• Appropriates $10 million for community-based substance use disorder treatment and recovery services, $1 million for opioid antagonists distribution to law enforcement, $160,000 for Operation Medicine Drop, and $122,000-$180,000 for a new SBI special agent position.

• Expands telepsychiatry program to include community-based health settings in addition to emergency departments and removes "acute" designation to allow broader mental health and substance abuse care delivery.