Connecticut 2023 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate Bipartisan · 5 D · 3 R cosponsors

SB 171 — AN ACT ALLOWING PHARMACISTS TO PRESCRIBE BIRTH CONTROL MEDICATION.

Last action — HOUSE CALENDAR NUMBER 614

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

This bill died with 2023 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

143 added · 36 removed

143 line(s) added, 36 removed.

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General Assembly Committee Bill No.
Senate General Assembly File No.
171 January Session, 2023 LCO No.
290 January Session, 2023 Substitute Senate Bill No.
5816 Referred to Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH Introduced by:
171 Senate, March 29, 2023 The Committee on Public Health reported through SEN.
(PH) AN ACT ALLOWING PHARMACISTS TO PRESCRIBE BIRTH CONTROL MEDICATION.
ANWAR of the 3rd Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.
AN ACT ALLOWING PHARMACISTS TO PRESCRIBE BIRTH CONTROL MEDICATION.
(4) "Legend drug" has the same meaning as provided in section 20- 571 of the general statutes;
sSB171 / File No.
LCO No.
290 1 sSB171 File No.
5816 1 of 4 Committee Bill No.171 (5) "Pharmacist" has the same meaning as provided in section 20-571 of the general statutes;
290 (4) "Legend drug" has the same meaning as provided in section 20- 571 of the general statutes;
(5) "Pharmacist" has the same meaning as provided in section 20-571 of the general statutes;
(3) Prior to dispensing an emergency contraceptive or hormonal contraceptive and at least once per calendar year thereafter for any returning patient, the pharmacist completes a screening document, which the department shall make available on the department's Internet LCO No.
(3) Prior to dispensing an emergency contraceptive or hormonal contraceptive and at least once per calendar year thereafter for any sSB171 / File No.
5816 2 of 4 Committee Bill No.171 web site, and the pharmacist, or the pharmacy that employs such pharmacist, retains such document for at least three years, except nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to prevent a pharmacist, in the pharmacist's professional discretion, from issuing a prescription for a hormonal contraceptive for a period not to exceed twelve months or from requiring more frequent screenings;
290 2 sSB171 File No.
290 returning patient, the pharmacist completes a screening document, which the department shall make available on the department's Internet web site, and the pharmacist, or the pharmacy that employs such pharmacist, retains such document for at least three years, except nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to prevent a pharmacist, in the pharmacist's professional discretion, from issuing a prescription for a hormonal contraceptive for a period not to exceed twelve months or from requiring more frequent screenings;
(d) If a pharmacist is morally or ethically opposed to issuing a prescription for an emergency contraceptive or a hormonal contraceptive, the pharmacist shall provide to any patient who requests such a prescription a list of the nearest pharmacies that may provide such a prescription to the patient.
(d)Eachpharmacy shallmaintain copies ofall documents concerning any screening performed under this section for at least three years, and each pharmacy shall, upon request by the department, make such screening documents available to the department for inspection.
(e) Each pharmacy shall maintain copies of all documents concerning LCO No.
(e) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection may adopt sSB171 / File No.
5816 3 of 4 Committee Bill No.
290 3 sSB171 File No.
171 any screening performed under this section for at least three years, and each pharmacy shall, upon request by the department, make such screening documents available to the department for inspection.
290 regulations, in accordance with chapter 54 of the general statutes, to implement the provisions of this section.
(f) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection may adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54 of the general statutes, to implement the provisions of this section.
Section 1 from passage New section Statement of Purpose:
Section 1 from passage New section PH Joint Favorable Subst.
To allow increased access to birth control medication.
sSB171 / File No.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets.
290 4 sSB171 File No.
Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.] Co-Sponsors:
290 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.
SEN.
In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.
FAZIO, 36th Dist.;
Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.
SEN.
OFA Fiscal Note State Impact:
SOMERS, 18th Dist.
None Municipal Impact:
REP.
None Explanation The bill allows pharmacists to prescribe birth control medication resulting in no fiscal impact to the state or municipalities.
CARNEY, 23rd Dist.;
The Out Years State Impact:
REP.
None Municipal Impact:
KAVROS DEGRAW, 17th Dist.
None sSB171 / File No.
REP.
290 5 sSB171 File No.
CHEESEMAN, 37th Dist.;
290 OLR Bill Analysis sSB 171 AN ACT ALLOWING PHARMACISTS TO PRESCRIBE BIRTH CONTROL MEDICATION.
REP.
SUMMARY This bill authorizes pharmacists to prescribe, in good faith, emergency or hormonal contraception to patients ages 16 or older if the pharmacist takes the following actions before doing so:
ELLIOTT, 88th Dist.
1.
REP.
completes an accredited educational and training program on prescribing the contraception by pharmacists;
WELANDER, 114th Dist.;
2.
REP.
(a) reviews the most current version of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) U.S.
BERGER-GIRVALO, 111th Dist.
Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use, or any successor document, and (b) documents in writing if he or she deviates from this guidance and the rationale for doing so;
REP.
3.
BUMGARDNER, 41st Dist.
completes a patient screening document before dispensing the contraception and at least annually after that for a returning patient;
S.B.
4.
Show all 81 changed rows (41 more)
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171 LCO No.
counsels the patient on what the patient should monitor and when to seek additional medical attention;
5816 4 of 4
5.
notifies the patient’s primary care provider if the patient identifies one;
and 6.
provides the patient a document outlining age-appropriate health screenings consistent with CDC recommendations.
The bill also authorizes pharmacy technicians, at a pharmacist’s sSB171 / File No.
290 6 sSB171 File No.
290 request, to help the pharmacist prescribe the contraception by completing specified tasks, so long as the technician completed an educationaltrainingprogramthatmeetsthesamerequirementsasthose for pharmacists.
Additionally, thebill requirespharmaciesto keep copiesofallpatient screening documents for at least three years and make the documents available to the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) for inspection, upon request.
Lastly, the bill allows DCP to adopt implementing regulations.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Upon passage PRESCRIBING REQUIREMENTS Educational Training Program Under the bill, the pharmacist must complete an educational training program that does the following:
1.
concerns prescribing emergency and hormonal contraception by pharmacists;
2.
addresses appropriate patient medical screening, contraindications, drug interactions, treatment strategies, and modifications, and when to refer patients to medical providers;
and 3.
is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.
Screening Document Under the bill, the pharmacist must complete a screening document (presumably, for a patient) prior to dispensing emergency or hormonal contraception and at least annually after that for a returning patient.
DCPmust make thescreening document availableonitswebsite.
The pharmacist, or the pharmacy he or she works for, must keep the document for at least three years.
The pharmacy must also make the sSB171 / File No.
290 7 sSB171 File No.
290 document available to DCP for inspection, upon request.
The bill explicitly provides that it does not prevent the pharmacist, in his or her professional discretion, from (1) requiring more frequent screenings or (2) issuing a prescription for hormonal contraception for up to 12 months.
Counseling and Notification Requirements If a pharmacist determines that prescribing a patient emergency or hormonal contraception is clinically appropriate, the pharmacist must do the following:
1.
counsel thepatient onwhat thepatient shouldmonitor andwhen he or she should seek additional medical attention;
2.
notify any health care provider the patient identifies as his or her primary care provider, or if the patient does not disclose this information, provide the patient any relevant documentation;
and 3.
provide the patient a document outlining age-appropriate health screenings that are consistent with CDC recommendations.
Pharmacy Technicians The bill authorizes pharmacy technicians, at a pharmacist’s request, to help the pharmacist prescribe emergency or hormonal contraception to a patient by (1)giving thepatient screening documentation;(2)taking and recording the patient’s blood pressure;
and (3) documenting the patient’s medical history, so long as the pharmacy technician completed an educational training program that meets the same requirements as those for pharmacists described above.
Definitions Under the bill, an “emergency contraceptive” is a single drug or combination of drugs approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent pregnancy as soon as possible after (1) unprotected sexual intercourse or (2) suspected or known contraceptive sSB171 / File No.
290 8 sSB171 File No.
290 failure.
A “hormonal contraceptive” means a drug composed of one or more hormones approved by the FDA to prevent pregnancy, including hormonal contraceptive patches and intravaginal or oral hormonal contraceptives.
BACKGROUND Related Bill sSB 6768, favorably reported by the General Law Committee, contains similar provisions authorizing pharmacists to prescribe emergency or hormonal contraception, under certain conditions.
COMMITTEE ACTION Public Health Committee Joint Favorable Substitute Yea 33 Nay 4 (03/20/2023) sSB171 / File No.
290 9
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Action History

  1. HOUSE CALENDAR NUMBER 614

  2. FAV. RPT., TABLED FOR HOUSE CALENDAR

  3. RULES SUSPENDED,TRANS.TO HOUSE

  4. SENATE PASSED

  5. FILE NO. 290

  6. SENATE CALENDAR NUMBER 186

  7. FAV. RPT., TAB. FOR CAL., SEN.

  8. RPTD. OUT OF LCO

  9. REFERRED TO Office of Legislative Research AND Office of Fiscal Analysis 03/28/23

  10. FILED WITH LCO

  11. Joint Favorable Substitute

  12. REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Public Health

  13. DRAFTED BY COMMITTEE

  14. Vote to Draft

  15. PUBLIC HEARING 0306

  16. Reserved for Subject Matter Public Hearing

  17. Vote to Hold until next meeting

  18. REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Public Health

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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10 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 177 not signed on

Sponsors (10)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (177)

177 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 177 →

"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.

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Subjects

healthcare health-insurance
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 171?
SB 171 is sponsored by Bumgardner, Aundre, Aimee Berger-Girvalo (Democratic), John-Michael Parker (Democratic), Josh Elliott (Democratic), Cheeseman, Holly H., Eleni Kavros DeGraw (Democratic), Mary Welander (Democratic), Devin R. Carney (Republican), Heather S. Somers (Republican), and Ryan Fazio (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 171?
This bill died with 2023 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 171?
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