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Committee advances bill to expand prescription drug donation program
Summary
The committee gave a due-pass recommendation to the committee substitute for Senate Bill 122, which expands the state's prescription drug donation program to increase access and reduce wastage. Amendments clarify eligible donors and recipients and remove a $20 patient fee, replacing it with reasonable collection costs.
The House Health & Human Services Committee voted to give a due-pass recommendation to the committee substitute for Senate Bill 122, a measure intended to expand the state’s prescription drug donation program to reduce waste and increase access to unused medications.
Representative Ferrari described the bill as aiming "to increase access to prescription drugs and reduce unnecessary prescription drug waste by expanding the applicability of the state's prescription drug donation program." Testimony in support included a brief statement by Nat Dean (who identified respiratory issues) and a summary of the bill’s board-of-pharmacy-driven rulemaking changes by the sponsor.
Representative Anaya asked about senate-side amendments that had been added and then removed; the sponsor summarized the board of pharmacy’s changes, which redefined donors and eligible recipients, permitted in‑ and out‑of‑state pharmacies to participate under board rules, required inspection of donated drugs before redistribution, and replaced a flat $20 patient charge with authorization for reasonable collection costs.
Representative Jones and other committee members asked about safety, storage and inspection protocols. The sponsor pointed to the board of pharmacy rulemaking authority included in the bill and said those rules address inspection and storage procedures. Representative Nicole Chavez asked about interstate coordination; the sponsor said board rules and the bill language provide for in-state and out-of-state participation subject to board rules.
Representative Eleanor Chavez moved the due-pass recommendation and a second was noted; the chair announced the vote was 10–0 in favor.
The bill will now proceed with a committee recommendation. Committee members requested the board of pharmacy’s draft rules or an explanation of the inspection and safety protocols referenced in the bill language as part of the record.
