Annual controlled-substances bill updated to add federal schedule amendments; committee OKs chairman’s amendment

The House Courts and Criminal Code Committee approved House Bill 1056, the annual controlled-substances scheduling bill that updates Indiana law to match federal Drug Enforcement Administration scheduling actions.

Doug Boyle, director of affairs and communications for the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency, told the committee the bill is introduced on behalf of the Board of Pharmacy and “adds 2 methyl AP 237 to state of Indiana's Schedule 1 opiates in compliance with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s rule making action to permanently place it as a Schedule 1 drug.” Boyle also requested a chairman’s amendment to add an additional substance, ethylphenidate, and to include DEA code numbers for certain substances; the chair read and the committee accepted the amendment by consent.

Committee members acknowledged the technical nature of the bill, which is a routine annual alignment with federal scheduling. After the amendment was read and accepted by consent, a motion to pass the bill as amended was made and seconded; the roll-call vote was recorded as 130 yes and no opposing votes were announced in the transcript.

The bill’s changes reflect federal scheduling actions and add specific chemical names and DEA code numbers to state statute as described in the chairman’s amendment. Committee members and agency witnesses said the measure is largely technical and intended to keep state law consistent with federal controlled-substance designations.