United States 115th Congress ✓ Enacted · P.L. 115-83 Bipartisan · 13 R · 13 D cosponsors

HR 304 — Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017

Last action — Became Public Law No: 115-83.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed House
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 05, 2017. Enacted.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 78% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 26 sponsors

    1 primary, 25 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (13 R · 13 D) — cross-party backing.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Summary

Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017 (Sec. 2) This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act to direct the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to register an emergency medical services (EMS) agency to administer controlled substances if the agency submits an application demonstrating that it is authorized to conduct such activity in the state in which the agency practices. The DEA may deny an application if it determines that the registration is inconsistent with the public interest. An EMS agency may obtain a single registration in each state instead of a separate registration for each location. A registered EMS agency may deliver, store, and receive controlled substances, subject to specified conditions. An EMS professional of a registered EMS agency may administer controlled substances in schedules II, III, IV, or V outside the physical presence of a medical director if such administration is authorized under state law and pursuant to a standing or verbal order, subject to specified conditions. The bill specifies that a hospital-based EMS agency (i.e., an EMS agency owned or operated by a hospital) may continue to administer controlled substances under the hospital's DEA registration.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

122 added · 119 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment changes the way emergency medical services agencies can handle their registration for administering controlled substances. Previously, each location needed individual registrations; now, agencies can opt for a single registration in each state where they operate. This matters because it simplifies the registration process for emergency medical services, potentially allowing them to respond more efficiently during emergencies.

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[Congressional Bills 115th Congress] [From the U.S.
[115th Congress Public Law 83] [From the U.S.
Government Publishing Office] [H.R.
Government Publishing Office] [[Page 131 STAT.
304 Engrossed Amendment Senate (EAS)] <DOC> In the Senate of the United States, October 24, 2017.
1267]] Public Law 115-83 115th Congress An Act To amend the Controlled Substances Act with regard to the provision of emergency medical services.
Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representatives (H.R.
<<NOTE:
304) entitled ``An Act to amend the Controlled Substances Act with regard to the provision of emergency medical services.'', do pass with the following AMENDMENT:
Nov.
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following:
17, 2017 - [H.R.
SECTION 1.
304]>> Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE:
Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017.
21 USC 801 note.>> SECTION 1.
``(4) Administration outside physical presence of medical director or authorizing medical professional.--Emergency medical services professionals of a registered emergency medical services agency may administer controlled substances in schedule II, III, IV, or V outside the physical presence of a medical director or authorizing medical professional in the course of providing emergency medical services if the administration is-- ``(A) authorized by the law of the State in which it occurs;
``(4) Administration outside physical presence of medical director or authorizing medical professional.--Emergency medical services professionals of a registered emergency [[Page 131 STAT.
1268]] medical services agency may administer controlled substances in schedule II, III, IV, or V outside the physical presence of a medical director or authorizing medical professional in the course of providing emergency medical services if the administration is-- ``(A) authorized by the law of the State in which it occurs;
and ``(B) notifies the Attorney General at least 30 days prior to first delivering controlled substances to the unregistered location.
and ``(B) <<NOTE:
Notification.
Time period.>> notifies the Attorney General at least 30 days prior to first delivering controlled substances to the unregistered location.
``(8) Restocking of emergency medical services vehicles at a hospital.--Notwithstanding paragraph (13)(J), a registered emergency medical services agency may receive controlled substances from a hospital for purposes of restocking an emergency medical services vehicle following an emergency response, and without being subject to the requirements of section 308, provided all of the following conditions are satisfied:
``(8) <<NOTE:
Records.>> Restocking of emergency medical services vehicles at a hospital.--Notwithstanding paragraph (13)(J), a registered emergency medical services agency may receive controlled substances from a hospital for purposes of restocking an emergency medical services vehicle following an emergency [[Page 131 STAT.
1269]] response, and without being subject to the requirements of section 308, provided all of the following conditions are satisfied:
``(C) If the vehicle is primarily situated at a designated location, such location notifies the registered location of the agency within 72 hours of the vehicle receiving the controlled substances.
``(C) <<NOTE:
Notification.
Deadline.>> If the vehicle is primarily situated at a designated location, such location notifies the registered location of the agency within 72 hours of the vehicle receiving the controlled substances.
and ``(C) addressing the ability of hospitals, emergency medical services agencies, registered locations, and designated locations to deliver controlled substances to each other in the event of-- ``(i) shortages of such substances;
and ``(C) addressing the ability of hospitals, emergency medical services agencies, registered locations, and designated [[Page 131 STAT.
1270]] locations to deliver controlled substances to each other in the event of-- ``(i) shortages of such substances;
``(G) The term `hospital-based' means, with respect to an agency, owned or operated by a hospital.
[[Page 131 STAT.
1271]] ``(G) The term `hospital-based' means, with respect to an agency, owned or operated by a hospital.
Attest:
Approved November 17, 2017.
Secretary.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R.
115th CONGRESS 1st Session H.R.
304:
304 _______________________________________________________________________ AMENDMENT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol.
163 (2017):
Jan.
9, considered and passed House.
Oct.
24, considered and passed Senate, amended.
Nov.
2, House concurred in Senate amendment.
<all>
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Action History

  1. Introduced in House

  2. Introduced in House

  3. Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  4. Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  5. Mr. Burgess moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

  6. Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H206-208)

  7. DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 304.

  8. At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

  9. Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H218)

  10. Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 404 - 0 (Roll no. 25).(text: CR H206-207)

  11. On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 404 - 0 (Roll no. 25). (text: CR H206-207)

  12. Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

  13. Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

  14. Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

  15. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions discharged by Unanimous Consent.

  16. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions discharged by Unanimous Consent.

  17. Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S6773)

  18. Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

  19. Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

  20. Message on Senate action sent to the House.

  21. Mr. Hudson asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and agree to the Senate amendment. (consideration: CR H8421-8422)

  22. Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.(text as House agreed to Senate Amendment: CR H8421-8422)

  23. On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection. (text as House agreed to Senate Amendment: CR H8421-8422)

  24. Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

  25. Presented to President.

  26. Presented to President.

  27. Signed by President.

  28. Signed by President.

  29. Became Public Law No: 115-83.

  30. Became Public Law No: 115-83.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 25 co-sponsors · 521 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (25)

Not signed on (521)

521 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 521 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

healthcare health-insurance
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does HR 304 do?
Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017 (Sec. 2) This bill amends the Controlled Substances Act to direct the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to register an emergency medical services (EMS) agency to administer controlled substances if the agency submits an application demonstrating that it is authorized to conduct such activity in the state in which the agency practices. The DEA may deny an application if it determines that the registration is inconsistent with the public interest. An EMS agency may obtain a single registration in each state instead of a separate registration for each location. A registered EMS agency may deliver, store, and receive controlled substances, subject to specified conditions. An EMS professional of a registered EMS agency may administer controlled substances in schedules II, III, IV, or V outside the physical presence of a medical director if such administration is authorized under state law and pursuant to a standing or verbal order, subject to specified conditions. The bill specifies that a hospital-based EMS agency (i.e., an EMS agency owned or operated by a hospital) may continue to administer controlled substances under the hospital's DEA registration.
Who sponsors HR 304?
HR 304 is sponsored by Butterfield, G. K. (Democratic), Wagner, Ann (Republican), Duncan, Jeff (Republican), Blackburn, Marsha (Republican), Lipinski, Daniel (Democratic), Schakowsky, Janice D. (Democratic), Herrera Beutler, Jaime (Republican), Knight, Stephen (Republican), Smith, Lamar (Republican), Emmer, Tom (Republican), Bilirakis, Gus M. (Republican), Abraham, Ralph Lee (Republican), Cummings, Elijah E. (Democratic), Cohen, Steve (Democratic), Hastings, Alcee L. (Democratic), Ruiz, Raul (Democratic), Kelly, Robin L. (Democratic), Roe, David P. (Republican), Blumenauer, Earl (Democratic), Young, David (Republican), Rice, Kathleen M. (Democratic), Calvert, Ken (Republican), Pingree, Chellie (Democratic), Bustos, Cheri (Democratic), Langevin, James R. (Democratic), and Hudson, Richard (Republican).
What is the current status of HR 304?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 05, 2017. Enacted.
Where can I track HR 304?
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