Senate Bill sb0518c1

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    Florida Senate - 2007                            CS for SB 518

    By the Committee on Criminal Justice; and Senators Saunders,
    Bennett and Deutch




    591-2354-07

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to controlled substances;

  3         creating s. 831.311, F.S.; prohibiting the

  4         sale, manufacture, alteration, delivery,

  5         uttering, or possession of

  6         counterfeit-resistant prescription blanks for

  7         controlled substances; providing penalties;

  8         amending s. 893.04, F.S.; providing additional

  9         requirements for the dispensing of a controlled

10         substance listed in Schedule II, Schedule III,

11         or Schedule IV; specifying circumstances under

12         which a pharmacist who dispenses controlled

13         substances by mail is exempt from certain

14         requirements governing patient identification;

15         providing requirements and limitations for

16         dispensing controlled substances upon an oral

17         prescription; creating s. 893.055, F.S.;

18         defining terms; requiring the Agency for Health

19         Care Administration to contract for the

20         creation of a website to provide private-sector

21         medication history to certain pharmacies and

22         health care practitioners; providing

23         limitations on use; providing for liability for

24         the improper release of any confidential

25         information; precluding the use of specified

26         legal defenses by defendants in certain

27         actions; providing penalties; creating s.

28         893.065, F.S.; requiring the department to

29         develop and adopt by rule the form and content

30         for a counterfeit-proof prescription blank for

31         voluntary use by physicians in prescribing a

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    Florida Senate - 2007                            CS for SB 518
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 1         controlled substance listed in Schedule II,

 2         Schedule III, or Schedule IV; providing an

 3         appropriation and authorizing additional

 4         positions; providing for the contingent

 5         applicability of penalties; providing a

 6         contingent effective date.

 7  

 8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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10         Section 1.  Section 831.311, Florida Statutes, is

11  created to read:

12         831.311  Unlawful sale, manufacture, alteration,

13  delivery, uttering, or possession of counterfeit-resistant

14  prescription blanks for controlled substances.--

15         (1)  It is unlawful for any person having the intent to

16  injure or defraud any person or to facilitate any violation of

17  s. 893.13 to sell, manufacture, alter, deliver, utter, or

18  possess any counterfeit-resistant prescription blanks for

19  controlled substances, the form and content of which are

20  adopted by rule of the Department of Health pursuant to s.

21  893.065.

22         (2)  Any person who violates this section commits a

23  felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s.

24  775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

25         Section 2.  Section 893.04, Florida Statutes, is

26  amended to read:

27         893.04  Pharmacist and practitioner.--

28         (1)  A pharmacist, in good faith and in the course of

29  professional practice only, may dispense controlled substances

30  upon a written or oral prescription of a practitioner, under

31  the following conditions:

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    Florida Senate - 2007                            CS for SB 518
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 1         (a)  Oral prescriptions must be promptly reduced to

 2  writing by the pharmacist or recorded electronically if

 3  permitted by federal law.

 4         (b)  The written prescription must be dated and signed

 5  by the prescribing practitioner on the day when issued.

 6         (c)  There shall appear on the face of the prescription

 7  or written record thereof for the controlled substance the

 8  following information:

 9         1.  The full name and address of the person for whom,

10  or the owner of the animal for which, the controlled substance

11  is dispensed.

12         2.  The full name and address of the prescribing

13  practitioner and the practitioner's federal controlled

14  substance registry number shall be printed thereon.

15         3.  If the prescription is for an animal, the species

16  of animal for which the controlled substance is prescribed.

17         4.  The name of the controlled substance prescribed and

18  the strength, quantity, and directions for use thereof.

19         5.  The number of the prescription, as recorded in the

20  prescription files of the pharmacy in which it is filled.

21         6.  The initials of the pharmacist filling the

22  prescription and the date filled.

23         (d)  The prescription shall be retained on file by the

24  proprietor of the pharmacy in which it is filled for a period

25  of 2 years.

26         (e)  Affixed to the original container in which a

27  controlled substance is delivered upon a prescription or

28  authorized refill thereof, as hereinafter provided, there

29  shall be a label bearing the following information:

30         1.  The name and address of the pharmacy from which

31  such controlled substance was dispensed.

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    Florida Senate - 2007                            CS for SB 518
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 1         2.  The date on which the prescription for such

 2  controlled substance was filled.

 3         3.  The number of such prescription, as recorded in the

 4  prescription files of the pharmacy in which it is filled.

 5         4.  The name of the prescribing practitioner.

 6         5.  The name of the patient for whom, or of the owner

 7  and species of the animal for which, the controlled substance

 8  is prescribed.

 9         6.  The directions for the use of the controlled

10  substance prescribed in the prescription.

11         7.  A clear, concise warning that it is a crime to

12  transfer the controlled substance to any person other than the

13  patient for whom prescribed.

14         (f)  A prescription for a controlled substance listed

15  in Schedule II may be dispensed only upon a written

16  prescription of a practitioner, except that in an emergency

17  situation, as defined by regulation of the Department of

18  Health, such controlled substance may be dispensed upon oral

19  prescription but is limited to a 72-hour supply. A No

20  prescription for a controlled substance listed in Schedule II

21  may not be refilled.

22         (g)  A No prescription for a controlled substance

23  listed in Schedule Schedules III, Schedule IV, or Schedule V

24  may not be filled or refilled more than five times within a

25  period of 6 months after the date on which the prescription

26  was written unless the prescription is renewed by a

27  practitioner.

28         (2)(a)  A pharmacist may not dispense a controlled

29  substance listed in Schedule II, Schedule III, or Schedule IV

30  to any patient or patient's agent without first determining,

31  in the exercise of her or his professional judgment, that the

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    Florida Senate - 2007                            CS for SB 518
    591-2354-07




 1  order is valid. The pharmacist may dispense the controlled

 2  substance, in the exercise of her or his professional

 3  judgment, when the pharmacist or pharmacist's agent has

 4  obtained satisfactory patient information from the patient or

 5  the patient's agent.

 6         (b)  Any pharmacist who dispenses by mail a controlled

 7  substance listed in Schedule II, Schedule III, or Schedule IV

 8  is exempt from the requirement to obtain suitable

 9  identification for the prescription dispensed by mail if the

10  pharmacist has obtained the patient's identification through

11  the patient's prescription benefit plan.

12         (c)  Any controlled substance listed in Schedule III or

13  Schedule IV may be dispensed by a pharmacist upon an oral

14  prescription if, before filling the prescription, the

15  pharmacist reduces it to writing or records the prescription

16  electronically if permitted by federal law. Such prescriptions

17  must contain the date of the oral authorization.

18         (d)  Each written prescription prescribed by a

19  practitioner in this state for a controlled substance listed

20  in Schedule II, Schedule III, or Schedule IV must include both

21  a written and a numerical notation of the quantity on the face

22  of the prescription and a notation of the date, with the

23  abbreviated month written out on the face of the prescription.

24  A pharmacist may, upon verification by the prescriber,

25  document any information required by this paragraph.

26         (e)  A pharmacist may not dispense more than a 30-day

27  supply of a controlled substance listed in Schedule III upon

28  an oral prescription issued in this state.

29         (f)  A pharmacist may not knowingly fill a prescription

30  that has been forged for a controlled substance listed in

31  Schedule II, Schedule III, or Schedule IV.

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    Florida Senate - 2007                            CS for SB 518
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 1         (3)(2)  Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection

 2  (1), a pharmacist may dispense a one-time emergency refill of

 3  up to a 72-hour supply of the prescribed medication for any

 4  medicinal drug other than a medicinal drug listed in Schedule

 5  II, in compliance with the provisions of s. 465.0275.

 6         (4)(3)  The legal owner of any stock of controlled

 7  substances in a pharmacy, upon discontinuance of dealing in

 8  controlled substances, may sell said stock to a manufacturer,

 9  wholesaler, or pharmacy.  Such controlled substances may be

10  sold only upon an order form, when such an order form is

11  required for sale by the drug abuse laws of the United States

12  or this state, or regulations pursuant thereto.

13         Section 3.  Section 893.055, Florida Statutes, is

14  created to read:

15         893.055  Prescription drug history.--

16         (1)  As used in this section, the term:

17         (a)  "Agency" means the Agency for Health Care

18  Administration.

19         (b)  "Department" means the Department of Health.

20         (c)  "Federal privacy laws" means the provisions

21  relating to the disclosure of patient privacy information

22  under federal law, including, but not limited to, the Health

23  Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA),

24  Pub. L. No. 104-91, and its implementing regulations, the

25  Federal Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. s. 552(a), and its implementing

26  regulations, and any other federal law, including, but not

27  limited to, federal common law and decisional law that would

28  prohibit the disclosure of patient privacy information.

29         (d)  "Health care practitioner" means, with the

30  exception of a pharmacist, a practitioner licensed under

31  chapter 456 and authorized by law to prescribe drugs.

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    Florida Senate - 2007                            CS for SB 518
    591-2354-07




 1         (e)  "Pharmacy" means a pharmacy subject to licensure

 2  or regulation by the department under chapter 465 which

 3  dispenses or delivers a controlled substance listed in

 4  Schedule II, Schedule III, or Schedule IV to a patient in this

 5  state.

 6         (2)(a)  By June 30, 2008, the agency shall contract

 7  with a vendor for the design and operation of a secure,

 8  privacy-protected website that provides a health care

 9  practitioner, pharmacy, or pharmacist access to comprehensive

10  patient medication history. In order to provide comprehensive

11  patient medication history, the agency shall require the

12  contracted vendor to subcontract with private-sector

13  organizations that currently operate electronic prescribing

14  networks that provide such medication history.

15         (b)  The contracted vendor shall comply with all

16  applicable state and federal privacy laws and maintain the

17  website within the United States.

18         (c)  The contracted vendor must create a system to

19  verify with the department that each health care practitioner,

20  pharmacy, or pharmacist requesting access to the website holds

21  a valid, active license.

22         (3)  A health care practitioner authorized to access

23  the website may use only the website to obtain medication

24  history for a current patient for prescribing purposes with

25  the written permission of the patient.

26         (4)  A pharmacy or pharmacist authorized to access the

27  website may use only the website to obtain medication history

28  in dispensing a current prescription for Schedule II, Schedule

29  III, or Schedule IV medicinal drugs with the written

30  permission of the patient. The pharmacy or pharmacist may not

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    Florida Senate - 2007                            CS for SB 518
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 1  have access to pharmacy-identifying information within a

 2  patient's medication history. 

 3         (5)  Recovery is not allowed in any court in this state

 4  against a health care practitioner, pharmacy, or pharmacist

 5  authorized to obtain information under this section for

 6  accessing or failing to access such information.

 7         (6)  A violation of this section by a health care

 8  practitioner, pharmacy, or pharmacist constitutes grounds for

 9  disciplinary action under each respective licensing chapter

10  and s. 456.072(1)(k).

11         (7)  Any contractor entering into a contract under this

12  section is liable in tort for the improper release of any

13  confidential information received, in addition to any breach

14  of contract liability. Sovereign immunity may not be raised by

15  the contractor, or the insurer of that contractor on the

16  contractor's behalf, as a defense in any action arising out of

17  the performance of any contract entered into under this

18  section, as a defense in tort, in any other application

19  regarding the maintenance of confidentiality of information,

20  or for any breach of contract.

21         Section 4.  Section 893.065, Florida Statutes, is

22  created to read:

23         893.065  Counterfeit-resistant prescription blanks for

24  controlled substances listed in Schedule II, Schedule III, or

25  Schedule IV.--The Department of Health shall develop and adopt

26  by rule the form and content for a counterfeit-resistant

27  prescription blank which may be used by practitioners for the

28  purpose of prescribing a controlled substance listed in

29  Schedule II, Schedule III, or Schedule IV. The Department of

30  Health may require the prescription blanks to be printed on

31  distinctive, watermarked paper and to bear the preprinted

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    Florida Senate - 2007                            CS for SB 518
    591-2354-07




 1  name, address, and category of professional licensure of the

 2  practitioner and that practitioner's federal registry number

 3  for controlled substances. The prescription blanks may not be

 4  transferred.

 5         Section 5.  The sum of $2,564,670 in recurring general

 6  revenue funds and $1,837,677 in nonrecurring general revenue

 7  funds are appropriated to the Department of Health to

 8  implement the provisions of this bill. Three additional

 9  full-time equivalent positions are authorized for the

10  2007-2008 fiscal year to implement the provisions of ss.

11  893.055 and 893.065, Florida Statutes, as created by this act.

12         Section 6.  The penalties created in ss. 831.311(2) and

13  893.055(7), Florida Statutes, by this act shall take effect

14  only upon the adoption by the Department of Health and each

15  applicable professional regulatory board of the rules required

16  pursuant to ss. 893.055(8) and 893.065, Florida Statutes, as

17  created by this act.

18         Section 7.  Except as otherwise expressly provided in

19  this act, this act shall take effect July 1, 2007, if Senate

20  Bill 520, or similar legislation, is adopted in the same

21  legislative session or an extension thereof and becomes law.

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    Florida Senate - 2007                            CS for SB 518
    591-2354-07




 1          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
 2                         Senate Bill 518

 3                                 

 4  -    Precludes a pharmacist from dispensing a controlled
         substance listed in Schedule II, III, or IV to any
 5       patient or patient's agent without first determining, in
         the exercise of her or his professional judgment, that
 6       the order is valid, but authorizes a pharmacist to
         dispense the controlled substance, in the exercise of her
 7       or his professional judgment, when the pharmacist or
         pharmacist's agent has obtained satisfactory patient
 8       information from the patient or the patient's agent.

 9  -    Provides that, by June 30, 2008, the Agency for Health
         Care Administration (AHCA) must contract with a vendor
10       for the design and operation of a secure,
         privacy-protected website that provides a health care
11       practitioner, pharmacy, or pharmacist access to
         comprehensive patient medication history, which is
12       provided by the AHCA requiring the contracted vendor to
         subcontract with private-sector organizations that
13       currently operate electronic prescribing networks that
         provide such medication history.
14  
    -    Requires the contracted vendor to comply with all
15       applicable state and federal privacy laws and maintain
         the website within the United States, and create a system
16       to verify with the Department of Health that each health
         care practitioner, pharmacy, or pharmacist requesting
17       access to the website holds a valid, active license.

18  -    Provides that a health care practitioner authorized to
         access the website may use only the website to obtain
19       medication history for a current patient for prescribing
         purposes with the written permission of the patient, and
20       a pharmacy or pharmacist with this authorization may use
         only the website to obtain medication history in
21       dispensing a current prescription for Schedule II, III,
         or IV medicinal drugs with the written permission of the
22       patient.

23  -    Precludes the pharmacy or pharmacist from access to
         pharmacy-identifying information within a patient's
24       medication history.

25  -    Disallows recovery in any Florida court against a health
         care practitioner, pharmacy, or pharmacist authorized to
26       obtain information for accessing or failing to access
         such information.
27  
    -    Provides that a health care practitioner, pharmacy, or
28       pharmacist who violates requirements pertaining to the
         website constitutes grounds for disciplinary action.
29  
    -    Provides that any contractor entering into a contract is
30       liable in tort for the improper release of any
         confidential information received, in addition to any
31       breach of contract liability.

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    Florida Senate - 2007                            CS for SB 518
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 1  -    Provides that sovereign immunity may not be raised by the
         contractor or the insurer of that contractor on the
 2       contractor's behalf as a defense in any action arising
         out of the performance of any contract, as a defense in
 3       tort, in any other application regarding the maintenance
         of confidentiality of information, or for any breach of
 4       contract.

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