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Board adopts positions on multiple pharmacy bills; supports measures on harm reduction, PBM oversight and other items
Summary
On April 22, 2025 the California State Board of Pharmacy reviewed the Legislation & Regulation Committee report and voted to adopt committee recommendations on a package of bills affecting pharmacy practice, patient access and regulation, including formal support for PBM oversight (SB 41), expanded pharmacist furnishing options (AB 50) and other bills listed below.
The California State Board of Pharmacy’s Legislation & Regulation Committee reported and the full board recorded positions on multiple bills during the April 22, 2025 meeting. For bills that the committee recommended a position, the board voted on the committee’s recommendation and recorded member votes on the floor; those items are summarized below.
Votes at a glance
- AB 50 (pharmacist furnishing of over‑the‑counter hormonal contraception up to a 12‑month supply): Board voted to adopt the committee recommendation to support AB 50. Recorded votes: Jesse Crowley — yes; Trevor Chandler — yes; Renee Barker — yes; Jeff Hughes — yes; Jay Newell — yes; Ricardo Sanchez — yes; Maria Serpa — yes; Nicole Thiebaud — yes; Sam Oh (president) — yes. Outcome: Support (unanimous among voting members).
- AB 447 (dispensing an unused portion of a dangerous drug in the emergency room): Committee recommended watch; board did not adopt a formal position and will monitor amendments. Public comment noted concerns about labeling and suitability for certain dosage forms (inhalers, eye drops, etc.). Outcome: Watch / monitor.
- AB 529 (continuing waiver authority after declared emergency): Board supported the committee recommendation to support AB 529. Outcome: Support (motion passed; recorded as unanimous among those voting).
- AB 667 (interpreter access for exam applicants): Committee recommended watch given pending amendments; board agreed to watch. Outcome: Watch.
- AB 669 (substance use disorder coverage / prior authorization): Committee recommended support; board adopted support. Outcome: Support (motion passed).
- AB 957 (ban on tobacco sales in pharmacies): Committee recommended support; board adopted support. Outcome: Support (motion passed).
- AB 1037 (remove sunset on pharmacist authority to furnish syringes/needles without prescription): Committee recommended support; board adopted support. Outcome: Support (motion passed).
- AB 1460 (anti‑discrimination protections for drug coverage supply chains / 340B protection): Committee recommended support; board adopted support. Outcome: Support (motion passed).
- AB 1503 (board’s sunset bill; rename advanced practice pharmacist to advanced pharmacist practitioner): Committee recommended support; board adopted support. Outcome: Support (motion passed).
- SB 41 (PBM regulation / oversight): Committee recommended support; board adopted support. Notably one member recorded an abstention (Nicole Thiebaud). Recorded votes: Crowley — yes; Chandler — yes; Barker — yes; Hughes — yes; Newell — yes; Sanchez — yes; Serpa — yes; Thiebaud — abstain; President Oh — yes. Outcome: Support (one abstention).
- SB 470 (permanent teleconferencing flexibilities in Bagley‑Keene): Committee recommended support; board adopted support. Outcome: Support (motion passed).
- SB 497 (prohibit release of medical information about gender‑affirming care under specified conditions): Committee recommended support; board adopted support. Outcome: Support (motion passed).
- SB 548 (state advisory work on alcohol & drug‑related deaths / advisory group): Committee recommended support; board adopted support. Outcome: Support (motion passed).
- SB 641 (waivers for disaster/emergency for licensing requirements; requires email on file): Committee recommended support; board adopted support. Outcome: Support (motion passed).
How the board acted
For many measures the board accepted the Legislation & Regulation Committee’s recommendation to support (or to watch) without amendment. The committee deliberately chose a monitoring approach for bills that were early in the legislative process or where the text was changing; in those cases the board recommended watching the measures pending amendments. For certain public‑health bills (for example AB 669 on substance‑use treatment, SB 41 on PBM oversight, and AB 957 on tobacco sales) the committee recommended support and the board adopted those positions. For some bills the board discussed specific implementation issues (for example labeling and dispensing protocols for AB 447) and requested further clarification or technical amendments before taking—or refusing to take—a stronger position.
Next steps
Staff said they will track amendments and committee hearings and will notify board members as bills move through the legislature. The report from the Legislation & Regulation Committee will serve as the board’s formal direction to staff for advocacy and monitoring during the remainder of the 2025 legislative session.
