By: Van de Putte S.B. No. 1620

(In the Senate - Filed March 8, 2007; March 21, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services; April 27, 2007, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; April 27, 2007, sent to printer.)

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1620 By: Nichols

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a study regarding the confidentiality of prescription information.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 562, Occupations Code, is amended by adding Section 562.057 to read as follows:

Sec. 562.057. COMMERCIAL USE STUDY. (a) The board shall study how prescription information records containing patient-identifiable and practitioner-identifiable information are licensed, transferred, used, or sold by pharmacy benefits managers, insurance companies, electronic transmission intermediaries, pharmacies, or other similar entities for the purpose of advertising, marketing, or promoting pharmaceutical products.

(b) Not later than August 1, 2008, the board shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the appropriate standing committees of the legislature a report regarding the results of the study conducted under Subsection (a), together with any recommendation for legislation.

(c) This section expires October 1, 2008.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2007.

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