Washington 2019-2020 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate 4 D cosponsors

SB 6447 — Requiring a coprescription of opioid overdose reversal medication.

Last action — Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 10:00 AM

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

This bill died with 2019-2020 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This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis.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

1 added · 1 removed

Plain-language change summary

The updated version of SB 6447 changes the language from "should provide" to "shall provide," making it a requirement for healthcare practitioners to prescribe an opioid overdose reversal medication, such as naloxone, alongside certain opioid prescriptions. This shift strengthens the obligation for healthcare providers to ensure patients at risk of overdose have access to life-saving medication. Additionally, the new version removes the exemption for opioid prescriptions related to terminal illnesses or end-of-life care, ensuring consistent access to reversal medications across all prescribed situations. These changes are significant as they aim to reduce opioid overdose fatalities by ensuring more patients have critical intervention resources.

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S-6158.1SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6447State of Washington66th Legislature2020 Regular SessionBySenate Behavioral Health Subcommittee to Health & Long Term Care (originally sponsored by Senators Liias, Kuderer, Rivers, Dhingra, Randall, Wilson, C., and Saldaña)READ FIRST TIME 02/07/20.AN ACT Relating to requiring a coprescription of opioid overdose reversal medication;
S-5415.1SENATE BILL 6447State of Washington66th Legislature2020 Regular SessionBySenators Liias, Kuderer, Rivers, Dhingra, Randall, Wilson, C., and SaldañaRead first time 01/16/20.Referred to Committee on Health & Long Term Care.AN ACT Relating to requiring a coprescription of opioid overdose reversal medication;
A new section is added to chapter 69.41 RCW to read as follows:(1) A practitioner should provide a current prescription or confirm the patient has a current prescription for an opioid overdose reversal medication when the practitioner has prescribed the patient an opioid at or in excess of a fifty morphine milligram equivalent.(2) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(a) "Morphine milligram equivalent" means the conversion factor used to calculate the strength of an opioid using morphine dosage as the comparative unit of measure.(b) "Opioid overdose reversal medication" means any drug used to reverse an opioid overdose that binds to opioid receptors and blocks or inhibits the effects of opioids acting on those receptors.(c) "Practitioner" has the meaning provided in RCW 69.50.101.(3) This section does not apply to opioid prescriptions issued for the treatment of pain associated with terminal cancer or other terminal diseases, or for palliative, hospice, or other end-of-life care.--- END ---
A new section is added to chapter 69.41 RCW to read as follows:(1) A practitioner shall provide a current prescription or confirm the patient has a current prescription for an opioid overdose reversal medication when the practitioner has prescribed the patient an opioid at or in excess of a fifty morphine milligram equivalent.(2) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(a) "Morphine milligram equivalent" means the conversion factor used to calculate the strength of an opioid using morphine dosage as the comparative unit of measure.(b) "Opioid overdose reversal medication" means any drug used to reverse an opioid overdose that binds to opioid receptors and blocks or inhibits the effects of opioids acting on those receptors.(c) "Practitioner" has the meaning provided in RCW 69.50.101.--- END ---
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Action History

  1. Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 10:00 AM

  2. Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Behavioral Health Subcommittee to Health & Long Term Care at 01:30 PM

  3. Referred to Ways & Means.

  4. Minority; without recommendation.

  5. Minority; do not pass.

  6. And refer to Ways & Means.

  7. BH - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

  8. Referred to Ways & Means.

  9. Minority; without recommendation.

  10. Minority; do not pass.

  11. And refer to Ways & Means.

  12. BH - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

  13. Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Behavioral Health Subcommittee to Health & Long Term Care at 01:30 PM

  14. Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Health & Long Term Care at 08:00 AM

  15. Referred to Behavioral Health Subcommittee to Health & Long Term Care.

  16. First reading, referred to Health & Long Term Care.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 6 co-sponsors · 144 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (6)

Not signed on (144)

144 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"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

public-safety healthcare health-insurance
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 6447?
SB 6447 is sponsored by Marko Liias (Democrat), Kuderer, Rivers, Manka Dhingra (Democrat), Randall, Rebecca Saldaña (Democrat), and Claire Wilson (Democrat).
What is the current status of SB 6447?
This bill died with 2019-2020 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 6447?
Track SB 6447 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

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