86R13446 JSC-F
 
  By: Watson S.B. No. 1947
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to monitoring the ordering and distribution of controlled
  substances by veterinarians.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 481.0766, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
         (c)  The board shall make the information reported under
  Subsection (a) available to the State Board of Veterinary Medical
  Examiners for the purpose of routine inspections and investigations
  of the controlled substance ordering and distribution practices of
  veterinarians registered with the federal Drug Enforcement
  Administration.
         SECTION 2.  Section 801.164, Occupations Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 801.164.  RISK-BASED INSPECTIONS RELATED TO CONTROLLED
  SUBSTANCES PRACTICES. (a)  The board may conduct a risk-based
  inspection of a veterinarian's practice based on information
  obtained from the veterinarian or another source concerning the
  veterinarian's use, handling, prescribing, dispensing, or delivery
  of controlled substances.
         (b)  The board may use the information obtained from the
  Texas State Board of Pharmacy under Section 481.0766(c), Health and
  Safety Code, for routine inspections or investigations of the
  controlled substance ordering and distribution practices of
  license holders.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter D, Chapter 801, Occupations Code, is
  amended by adding Section 801.165 to read as follows:
         Sec. 801.165.  MONITORING OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE ORDERING
  AND DISTRIBUTION PRACTICES AND PATTERNS.  (a)  The board shall
  consult with veterinarians of all practice types to create and
  maintain internal policies to help investigators identify
  veterinary controlled substance ordering or distribution practices
  or patterns that may be potentially harmful, abnormal in veterinary
  medicine, or indicative of possible drug diversion or drug abuse.
         (b)  If during an inspection or investigation the board
  suspects that a veterinarian may be engaging in ordering or
  distribution practices or patterns that may be potentially harmful,
  abnormal, or indicative of possible drug diversion or drug abuse,
  the board may:
               (1)  notify the veterinarian to request an explanation;
               (2)  consider the practice type of the veterinarian or
  animal species to which the drug is being dispensed; and
               (3)  evaluate whether an order is of an unusual size or
  frequency.
         (c)  The board may open a complaint against a license holder
  if there is evidence that the veterinarian is engaging in ordering
  or distribution practices or exhibits patterns that suggest
  possible drug diversion or drug abuse.
         (d)  The board may not take action against a veterinarian
  under this section:
               (1)  for participating in or conducting valid
  scientific research; or
               (2)  because the treatment provided to a specific
  animal is an experimental treatment provided after other
  conventional treatments have failed.
         SECTION 4.  The change in law made by this Act applies to
  investigations and inspections that occur on or after the effective
  date of this Act, regardless of whether the investigation or
  inspection reveals evidence of misconduct occurring before that
  date.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.