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Committee advances bill to remove Indiana''s pharmacy law exam, add continuing education requirement
Summary
The Commerce and Technology Committee voted 10-0 to advance Senate Bill 293, which would eliminate Indiana''s separate pharmacy jurisprudence exam (MPJE) for initial licensure and instead require additional continuing-education credits to keep pharmacists current on Indiana law.
Chair Buchanan presented Senate Bill 293 to the Commerce and Technology Committee and described it as a measure to remove Indiana''s additional law exam for pharmacists and replace that requirement with continuing-education credits to ensure practitioners remain current on state pharmacy law. The committee heard expert testimony and then voted 10-0 to send the bill to the floor.
Veronica Vernon, chair of pharmacy practice at Butler University, testified in support of the bill on behalf of Butler University. "I'm asking for the removal of the MPJE as a requirement for licensure because this exam is outdated," Vernon said. She explained that pharmacists in Indiana currently take two exams: the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX), a roughly six-hour knowledge exam used in all U.S. jurisdictions, and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE), a state-specific jurisprudence test. Vernon said the MPJE's question bank can lag two years behind current laws and that other states that removed the law exam did not see increases in reported pharmacist violations.
Sarah Trovinger, representing the Indiana Pharmacy Association and an associate professor of pharmacy practice, also endorsed the bill, saying it would help retain and attract pharmacists to Indiana, particularly in rural counties. Trovinger noted that pharmacy students complete substantial clinical education hours and encounter multiple licensed pharmacists during training, and she argued those training and accreditation requirements support the change.
During questioning, Senator Cook asked whether enrollment trends and federal or state policies were discouraging people from entering community pharmacy. Vernon said enrollment has declined and that fewer graduates choose community pharmacy, and she suggested licensure requirements are one of several barriers to filling openings. Committee members did not receive testimony opposing the bill.
After testimony and brief discussion, a motion to advance Senate Bill 293 carried on a 10-0 roll call vote. The clerk recorded ayes from Senators Hundley, Spencer, Ford, Cook, Dorio, Burn, Dirie, Lising, Donato and Chair Buchanan. The bill will move to the Senate floor for further consideration.
The committee did not adopt amendments to the bill during this hearing. Next steps are a floor committee assignment and any additional Senate debate or amendments.
