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Board backs broad slate of bills on contraception access, PBM oversight, insulin caps and pharmacy modernization
Summary
The board’s legislation committee recommended positions—largely support—on a package of bills including expanded pharmacist furnishing of contraception, PBM regulation, insulin affordability, pharmacy practice modernization in the board's sunset bill, and other measures the board determined affect pharmacy practice or public protection.
The California State Board of Pharmacy’s Legislation and Regulation Committee reported a series of board positions on pending state bills, recommending support for measures it determined were consistent with the board’s public‑protection mission and operational needs.
Among the measures the board elected to support were: bills expanding pharmacist authority to furnish contraceptives (including authorizing up to a 12‑month supply and clarifying furnishing of OTC non‑hormonal options); a measure to make permanent prior authorizations flexibilities and other emergency waivers (AB 529); a bill extending authority to temporarily waive certain pharmacy law provisions during declared emergencies (SB 641); and bills to cap insulin costs and limit utilization management steps (SB 40). The committee also recommended continued support for AB 1503, the board’s sunset and modernization measure that would extend the board’s statutory authority and add implementation items such as a pharmacy technician advisory committee and other policy changes.
The committee reviewed and recommended support for bills expanding pharmacists' ability to furnish syringes (AB 309) and for measures addressing tobacco sales in pharmacies (AB 957). On pharmacy benefit manager oversight, the board continued to support SB 41, a PBM regulatory measure the committee said aligns with prior concerns about PBM practices impacting consumers and pharmacies.
Committee members emphasized the board’s role is to evaluate bills for their impact on practice, consumer protection and implementation workload. Several bills were recommended for a watch position rather than support as they raised complex operational or licensure issues that would require further analysis; for example, AB 447 (dispensing to emergency department patients and ADDS licensure implications) was placed on watch.
Public commenters representing pharmacy associations, health systems and patient groups spoke in favor of some bills (for example, pharmacists furnishing contraception and PBM regulation) and urged the board to maintain positions that support patient access and the sustainability of pharmacy services.
The board will forward its positions to the Legislature and continue to monitor bill amendments and committee hearings as the legislative session progresses. Members noted the pace of recent amendments and the need to reassess board positions when substantial changes are made to legislative language.
