By: Burton  S.B. No. 1243
         (In the Senate - Filed March 11, 2015; March 17, 2015, read
  first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services;
  April 16, 2015, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0; April 16, 2015,
  sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1243 By:  Taylor of Collin
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to donation of unused prescription drugs.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subtitle A, Title 6, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended by adding Chapter 442 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 442. DONATION OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
  SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
         Sec. 442.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
               (1)  "Department" means the Department of State Health
  Services.
               (2)  "Donor" means an individual who donates unused
  prescription drugs under this chapter to a participating provider.
               (3)  "Executive commissioner" means the executive
  commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission.
               (4)  "Health care facility" means:
                     (A)  a general or special hospital as defined by
  Chapter 241;
                     (B)  an ambulatory surgical center licensed under
  Chapter 243;
                     (C)  an institution licensed under Chapter 242; or
                     (D)  any other facility that provides health care
  services to patients and is authorized to maintain an inventory of
  prescription drugs for dispensing to the facility's patients or
  residents.
               (5)  "Health care professional" means an individual
  licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized to administer health
  care and prescribe prescription drugs, for profit or otherwise, in
  the ordinary course of business or professional practice. The term
  does not include a health care facility.
               (6)  "Participating provider" means a health care
  facility, pharmacy, or health care professional who elects to
  participate in the collection and redistribution of donated
  prescription drugs under this chapter.
               (7)  "Pharmacy" means an entity licensed under Chapter
  560, Occupations Code.
               (8)  "Prescription drug" has the meaning assigned by
  Section 551.003, Occupations Code.
               (9)  "Recipient" means an individual who voluntarily
  receives donated prescription drugs under this chapter.
               (10)  "Tamper-evident" means packaging that allows for
  detection of unauthorized access to a prescription drug.
         Sec. 442.002.  RULEMAKING AUTHORITY. The executive
  commissioner may adopt rules to implement this chapter.
         Sec. 442.003.  CONSTRUCTION WITH OTHER LAW. This chapter
  does not limit the authority of this state or a political
  subdivision of this state to regulate or prohibit a prescription
  drug.
  SUBCHAPTER B. DONATION AND REDISTRIBUTION OF UNUSED PRESCRIPTION
  DRUGS
         Sec. 442.051.  DONATION AND REDISTRIBUTION OF PRESCRIPTION
  DRUGS. (a)  A donor may donate unused prescription drugs to a
  participating provider in accordance with this chapter and rules
  adopted under this chapter.
         (b)  A participating provider may dispense donated
  prescription drugs to a recipient in accordance with this chapter
  and rules adopted under this chapter.
         Sec. 442.052.  STANDARDS FOR DONATION AND REDISTRIBUTION.
  (a)  The executive commissioner by rule shall adopt standards and
  procedures for:
               (1)  accepting, storing, labeling, and dispensing
  donated prescription drugs; and
               (2)  inspecting donated prescription drugs to
  determine whether the drugs are adulterated and whether the drugs
  are safe and suitable for redistribution.
         (b)  In adopting standards and procedures under this
  section, the executive commissioner shall ensure that the donation
  and redistribution process is consistent with public health and
  safety standards.
         Sec. 442.053.  REQUIREMENTS FOR DONATED PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.
  (a)  A donated prescription drug may be accepted or dispensed under
  this chapter only if the drug is in its original, unopened, sealed,
  and tamper-evident unit-dose packaging. A drug packaged in single
  unit doses may be accepted and dispensed if the outside packaging is
  opened but the single unit-dose packaging is unopened.
         (b)  A donated prescription drug may not be accepted or
  dispensed under this chapter if the drug:
               (1)  is a controlled substance;
               (2)  is adulterated or misbranded; or
               (3)  is not stored in compliance with the drug's product
  label.
         (c)  A participating provider shall comply with all
  applicable provisions of state and federal law relating to the
  inspection, storage, labeling, and dispensing of prescription
  drugs.
         Sec. 442.054.  DONATION PROCESS. (a)  Before being
  dispensed to a recipient, a prescription drug donated under this
  chapter must be inspected by a health care professional on behalf of
  the participating provider in accordance with federal law, laws of
  this state, and department rule to determine whether the drug is
  adulterated or misbranded and whether the drug has been stored in
  compliance with the requirements of the product label. 
         (b)  A donated prescription drug dispensed to a recipient
  under this chapter must be prescribed by a health care professional
  for use by the recipient.
         (c)  A participating provider may charge a handling fee not
  to exceed $20 to a recipient to cover the costs of inspecting,
  storing, labeling, and dispensing the donated prescription drug. A
  participating provider may not resell a prescription drug donated
  under this chapter. A donor may not sell a prescription drug to a
  participating provider.
         (d)  A participating provider may not submit a claim or
  otherwise seek reimbursement from any public or private third-party
  payor for donated prescription drugs dispensed to a recipient under
  this chapter. A public or private third-party payor is not required
  to provide reimbursement for donated drugs dispensed to a recipient
  under this chapter.
         Sec. 442.055.  DONOR FORM. Before donating a prescription
  drug under this chapter, a donor shall sign a form prescribed by the
  department stating that:
               (1)  the donor is the owner of the donated prescription
  drug;
               (2)  the donated prescription drug has been properly
  stored and the container has not been opened or tampered with;
               (3)  the donated prescription drug has not been
  adulterated or misbranded; and
               (4)  the donor is voluntarily donating the prescription
  drug.
         Sec. 442.056.  RECIPIENT FORM. Before accepting a donated
  prescription drug under this chapter, a recipient shall sign a form
  prescribed by the department stating that:
               (1)  the recipient acknowledges that the donor is not a
  pharmacist and the donor took ordinary care of the prescription
  drug;
               (2)  the recipient acknowledges that the donor is known
  to the participating provider and that there is no reason to believe
  that the prescription drug was improperly handled or stored;
               (3)  by accepting the prescription drug, the recipient
  accepts any risk that an accidental mishandling could create; and
               (4)  the recipient releases the donor, participating
  provider, and manufacturer of the drug from liability related to
  the prescription drug.
         Sec. 442.057.  LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.  (a)  A donor or
  participating provider who acts in good faith in donating,
  accepting, storing, labeling, distributing, or dispensing
  prescription drugs under this chapter:
               (1)  is not criminally liable and is not subject to
  professional disciplinary action for those activities; and
               (2)  is not civilly liable for damages for bodily
  injury, death, or property damage that arises from those activities
  unless the injury, death, or damage arises from the donor or
  participating provider's recklessness or intentional conduct.
         (b)  A manufacturer of a prescription drug donated under this
  chapter is not liable for bodily injury, death, or property damage
  arising from a donor or participating provider's failure to
  properly handle or store the drug.  This subsection does not limit
  the liability of the manufacturer for a dangerous or defective
  drug.
         Sec. 442.058.  DATABASE OF PARTICIPATING PROVIDERS. The
  department shall establish and maintain an electronic database that
  lists each participating provider. The department shall post the
  database on its Internet website.
         SECTION 2.  Not later than December 1, 2015, the executive
  commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall
  adopt any necessary rules for the implementation of Chapter 442,
  Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 3.  If before implementing any provision of this Act
  a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
  federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
  the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
  authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
  waiver or authorization is granted.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
 
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