BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1986

By: Hall

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The bill sponsor has informed the committee that pharmacists often find themselves in the difficult position of needing to dispense or deliver opioids to patients who require them for pain management or other medical purposes and that, while opioids remain an essential tool in treating certain conditions, there is an overwhelming need for caution and vigilance when prescribing or dispensing these substances, including ensuring that patients are fully informed about the potential risks associated with opioid use. The bill sponsor has further informed the committee that opioids carry a high potential for addiction, and misuse can escalate into severe health complications such as physical dependence, illness, and overdose and that, given the current opioid crisis, health care professionals must prioritize patient education and emphasize safe usage of prescription drugs. S.B. 1986 seeks to ensure patients understand the potential consequences of opioid use and help them make informed decisions about their care as part of the opioid dispensing process by requiring a warning label to be affixed to the bottle or container containing dispensed opioid prescription drugs.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas State Board of Pharmacy in SECTION 2 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 1986 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the Texas State Board of Pharmacy to adopt rules, not later than January 1, 2026, requiring that an opioid be dispensed in a bottle or container affixed with a label warning users of the addictive nature of opioids and the risks of respiratory depression and overdose. The bill requires the label to include language substantially similar to the following: "CAUTION: Opioid. Risk of Addiction, Respiratory Depression, and Overdose.". The bill prohibits a pharmacist from dispensing an opioid unless the bottle or container in which the opioid is dispensed is affixed with a label warning of the addictive nature of opioids and the risks of respiratory depression and overdose as required by those rules.

S.B. 1986 applies only to a prescription for an opioid dispensed on or after March 1, 2026. A prescription dispensed before that date is governed by the law in effect immediately before the bill's effective date, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.