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Senate advances pharmacist licensing bill to third-reading calendar
Summary
Senate Bill 100, clarifying pharmacists' scope of practice (including nutritional counseling) and aligning certain privacy provisions with federal HIPAA rules, passed the Senate by roll call and was placed on the third-reading calendar.
Senate Bill 100, presented by Senator Knudson, cleared the Utah Senate Jan. 29 and was placed on the third-reading calendar after debate. The bill clarifies the scope of pharmacist practice to explicitly include patient counseling and nutritional counseling and updates privacy-related language to align with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
"Providing patient counseling, including adverse and therapeutic effects of drugs, providing nutritional counseling," Senator Knudson said while describing the scope-of-practice language, adding that the privacy provisions were amended to "be in harmony with current federal law."
Opponents raised questions about unintended consequences. Senator Steele asked whether expanded counseling could inadvertently affect prescription-labeling or Medicare prescription limits; Senator Knudson replied "that is not the intent of this bill." After limited discussion the Senate held a roll-call vote; the presiding officer announced SB100 received 26 ayes, no nays, and three absent. The bill advances to the third-reading calendar for further consideration.
