Board ratifies discontinuance edits, opens multiple rulemakings and approves AB 1503 implementation policies
November 08, 2025 | California State Board of Pharmacy, Other State Agencies, Executive, California
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The California State Board of Pharmacy on Nov. 6 ratified several regulation changes and opened multiple rulemaking processes while approving policy statements to implement the board's 2025 sunset legislation (AB 1503). The board took the actions by roll-call votes during the Garden Grove meeting and on Webex.
The board ratified Office of Administrative Law edits to the discontinuance-of-business regulation (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 16, §17.08.2) and directed staff to complete the rulemaking record. It also approved motions to initiate formal rulemaking to amend or add these provisions: 17.93.5 (pharmacy technician application questions), 17.93.65 (technician certification program/sunset), 17.10 (hospital pharmacy/CAMER reporting clarity), 17.93.7 (inpatient pharmacist-to-technician ratio), 17.93.8 (hospital technician roles), 17.30.1 (advanced practice pharmacist application requirements) and a new section, 17.17.11, governing remote processing of prescriptions.
In policy votes the board approved a statement transitioning pharmacist practice toward an accepted standard-of-care model and a separate policy clarifying the role and staffing responsibilities of a pharmacist-in-charge (PIC), including the PIC's authority to set pharmacist-to-technician ratios within statutory limits.
The motions were moved and seconded on the record and passed by roll-call votes. Examples of final outcomes:
- Motion to ratify discontinuance regulation edits (17.08.2): approved, tally: yes 12, no 0, abstain 0. Recorded yes votes included (read from roll call): Trevor Chandler; Renee Barker; Jeanette Dong; KK John; Claudia Mercado; Jay Newell; Ricardo Sanchez; Satinder Sanduk; Maria Serpa; Nicole Thiebaud; and President Seung Oh (board staff recorded quorum and the vote during the meeting record).
- Motion to initiate rulemaking for pharmacy technician application updates (17.93.5): approved, tally: yes 13, no 0, abstain 0.
- Motion to extend sunset and initiate rulemaking for approved technician certification programs (17.93.65): approved, tally: yes 13, no 0, abstain 0.
- Motion to initiate rulemaking clarifying hospital pharmacies and CAMER reporting (17.10): approved, tally: yes 12, no 0, abstain 0.
- Motion to initiate rulemaking and add a remote-processing regulation (17.17.11): approved, tally: yes 13, no 0, abstain 0.
Board staff will prepare and circulate formal notices of proposed regulatory action following standard rulemaking procedures, submit the draft text for departmental review (DCA and Business, Consumer Services & Housing Agency), and return to the board as required if hearings or adverse comments are received. Several motions delegated limited editorial or technical authority to the executive officer to complete the rulemaking if no adverse comments are filed during the statutorily required comment periods.
What passed matters because it converts many items discussed in committee and reflected in AB 1503 into the formal rulemaking pipeline and publishes board policy positions for immediate operational effect while rule changes proceed. Several of the initiatives (remote processing, standard-of-care transition, PIC staffing authority and expanded hospital technician duties) were designed to implement statutory changes in the recently enacted sunset bill.
Votes at a glance: (selected items and outcomes)
- Ratify edits to 17.08.2 (discontinuance): approved (yes 12, no 0, abstain 0).
- Initiate rulemaking: 17.93.5 (pharmacy technician application): approved (yes 13, no 0, abstain 0).
- Initiate rulemaking: 17.93.65 (technician certification/sunset extension): approved (yes 13, no 0, abstain 0).
- Initiate rulemaking: 17.10 (CAMER/hospital clarity): approved (yes 12, no 0, abstain 0).
- Initiate rulemaking: 17.17.11 (remote processing): approved (yes 13, no 0, abstain 0).
- Approve policy statement: standard of care: approved (yes 13, no 0, abstain 0).
- Approve policy statement: pharmacist-in-charge role/staffing: approved (yes 13, no 0, abstain 0).
Board staff will publish formal notice language and take the regulatory packages through the 45‑day notice/comment period, with the executive officer authorized to finalize non‑substantive edits and complete the rulemaking if no adverse comments are received.
Source: Board meeting transcript and roll-call vote record.
The board ratified Office of Administrative Law edits to the discontinuance-of-business regulation (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 16, §17.08.2) and directed staff to complete the rulemaking record. It also approved motions to initiate formal rulemaking to amend or add these provisions: 17.93.5 (pharmacy technician application questions), 17.93.65 (technician certification program/sunset), 17.10 (hospital pharmacy/CAMER reporting clarity), 17.93.7 (inpatient pharmacist-to-technician ratio), 17.93.8 (hospital technician roles), 17.30.1 (advanced practice pharmacist application requirements) and a new section, 17.17.11, governing remote processing of prescriptions.
In policy votes the board approved a statement transitioning pharmacist practice toward an accepted standard-of-care model and a separate policy clarifying the role and staffing responsibilities of a pharmacist-in-charge (PIC), including the PIC's authority to set pharmacist-to-technician ratios within statutory limits.
The motions were moved and seconded on the record and passed by roll-call votes. Examples of final outcomes:
- Motion to ratify discontinuance regulation edits (17.08.2): approved, tally: yes 12, no 0, abstain 0. Recorded yes votes included (read from roll call): Trevor Chandler; Renee Barker; Jeanette Dong; KK John; Claudia Mercado; Jay Newell; Ricardo Sanchez; Satinder Sanduk; Maria Serpa; Nicole Thiebaud; and President Seung Oh (board staff recorded quorum and the vote during the meeting record).
- Motion to initiate rulemaking for pharmacy technician application updates (17.93.5): approved, tally: yes 13, no 0, abstain 0.
- Motion to extend sunset and initiate rulemaking for approved technician certification programs (17.93.65): approved, tally: yes 13, no 0, abstain 0.
- Motion to initiate rulemaking clarifying hospital pharmacies and CAMER reporting (17.10): approved, tally: yes 12, no 0, abstain 0.
- Motion to initiate rulemaking and add a remote-processing regulation (17.17.11): approved, tally: yes 13, no 0, abstain 0.
Board staff will prepare and circulate formal notices of proposed regulatory action following standard rulemaking procedures, submit the draft text for departmental review (DCA and Business, Consumer Services & Housing Agency), and return to the board as required if hearings or adverse comments are received. Several motions delegated limited editorial or technical authority to the executive officer to complete the rulemaking if no adverse comments are filed during the statutorily required comment periods.
What passed matters because it converts many items discussed in committee and reflected in AB 1503 into the formal rulemaking pipeline and publishes board policy positions for immediate operational effect while rule changes proceed. Several of the initiatives (remote processing, standard-of-care transition, PIC staffing authority and expanded hospital technician duties) were designed to implement statutory changes in the recently enacted sunset bill.
Votes at a glance: (selected items and outcomes)
- Ratify edits to 17.08.2 (discontinuance): approved (yes 12, no 0, abstain 0).
- Initiate rulemaking: 17.93.5 (pharmacy technician application): approved (yes 13, no 0, abstain 0).
- Initiate rulemaking: 17.93.65 (technician certification/sunset extension): approved (yes 13, no 0, abstain 0).
- Initiate rulemaking: 17.10 (CAMER/hospital clarity): approved (yes 12, no 0, abstain 0).
- Initiate rulemaking: 17.17.11 (remote processing): approved (yes 13, no 0, abstain 0).
- Approve policy statement: standard of care: approved (yes 13, no 0, abstain 0).
- Approve policy statement: pharmacist-in-charge role/staffing: approved (yes 13, no 0, abstain 0).
Board staff will publish formal notice language and take the regulatory packages through the 45‑day notice/comment period, with the executive officer authorized to finalize non‑substantive edits and complete the rulemaking if no adverse comments are received.
Source: Board meeting transcript and roll-call vote record.
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