The California State Board of Pharmacy on Nov. 2025 opened formal rulemaking and approved policy statements to implement a series of regulatory and statutory changes affecting pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacies.

During a full-day hybrid session in Anaheim and by Webex, the board voted to initiate rulemaking to: ratify modifications to the discontinuance-of-business regulation previously reviewed by the Office of Administrative Law; update application questions incorporated by reference in CCR Title 16, section 17.93.5 for pharmacy technician applicants; extend the sunset date on approved pharmacy technician certification programs (CCR 17.93.65) to June 30, 2027; and begin a rulemaking to add CCR section 17.17.11 to create a framework for remote prescription processing consistent with AB 1503.

President Seung Oh said the OAL's requested clarifications to the discontinuance-of-business package clarified structure rather than substance and staff recommended completing the rulemaking record. Maria Serpa, chair of the Enforcement and Compounding Committee, read the motion to ratify the third 15-day modifications and direct staff to complete the record; the motion carried following a roll-call vote.

On the technician application changes, staff described updates designed to align applicant questions with the federal Healthcare Provider Protection Act and the board's "Well-Being First" guidance. Board member Nicole Thiebaud urged the panel to preserve an explicit reference that would capture prior substance-use disorder or alcohol-treatment history so those situations are not unintentionally omitted. "I'm struggling with the recommendation to remove any kind of reference to, like, having substance use disorder treatment," Thiebaud said (S14).

The board also approved several policy statements required under AB 1503, including a policy to transition pharmacist practice toward a standard-of-care model and a clarifying statement about the role and responsibilities of the pharmacist in charge (PIC), including PIC authority to set staffing and pharmacist-to-technician ratios.

Votes at a glance (motions approved):
- Ratify modifications and complete rulemaking record: motion read by Maria Serpa; second by Claudia Mercado; outcome: approved (roll call recorded). (Provenance: SEG 247'SEG 322)
- Initiate rulemaking to amend CCR 17.93.5 (technician application questions): motion moved by Trevor Chandler; second recorded; outcome: approved. (Provenance: SEG 434'SEG 576)
- Initiate rulemaking to amend CCR 17.93.65 (certification program sunset extension to 06/30/2027): motion moved by Trevor Chandler; second by KK John; outcome: approved. (Provenance: SEG 627'SEG 719)
- Initiate rulemaking to add CCR 17.17.11 (remote processing): motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved after discussion and public comment. (Provenance: SEG 4696'SEG 4983)
- Approve policy statement on standard-of-care practice model and PIC policy statement: motions moved and seconded; both adopted. (Provenance: SEG 4992'SEG 5263)

Public commenters included pharmacists, technicians and industry groups. Sean Kim of the California Pharmacists Association expressed support for the technician-certification extension and urged clear educational outreach on immunization authorities (SEG 666'SEG 687; SEG 1920'SEG 1970). Hospital-affiliated commenters and Kaiser Permanente representatives urged clarity on whether hospital pharmacies must register for the California Medication Error Reporting program (CAMR); the committee recommended regulatory language clarifying that hospital pharmacies operating under CCR 17.10 are not considered community pharmacies for CAMR reporting (Provenance: SEG 1350'SEG 1404).

The board also set direction on forming a Pharmacy Technician Advisory Committee (PTAC) required by AB 1503. Members agreed the PTAC should include four licensed pharmacy technicians representing diverse practice settings, two licensed pharmacists (one a board member) and one public member; the board discussed term staggering, minimum experience (staff proposed three years in a setting), and an application/selection process to be fleshed out by board-appointed two-member screening committees (Provenance: SEG 3818'SEG 4411).

What happens next: staff will prepare rulemaking packages for the amended sections and post them for the required comment periods. The board directed staff to refine language and perform technical edits where necessary; additional committee discussion will follow on technical points such as the technician'to-pharmacist duties in hospital clinical programs and inspection authority for remote work sites.

Sources: meeting transcript and public comment (provenance ranges above).