87R12346 JSC-F
 
  By: Price H.B. No. 4408
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to provision of an opioid antagonist to a person who is
  filling a prescription for an opioid medication.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 483.103, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended by adding Subsection (b-1) and amending Subsection (c) to
  read as follows:
         (b-1)  A pharmacist may dispense an opioid antagonist
  without a prescription to a person to whom the pharmacist is
  dispensing an opioid medication under a prescription if:
               (1)  the opioid is prescribed in conjunction with
  benzodiazepine medication;
               (2)  the prescription of the dispensed medication
  directs the patient to take 90 morphine milligram equivalents or
  more daily;
               (3)  in the pharmacist's professional opinion, the
  patient is at risk of accidental overdose or potential abuse or
  overuse; or
               (4)  the physician who issued the prescription has
  communicated to the pharmacist that in the physician's professional
  opinion, the patient is at risk of accidental overdose or potential
  abuse or overuse.
         (c)  A pharmacist who, acting in good faith and with
  reasonable care, dispenses or does not dispense an opioid
  antagonist under a valid prescription or on the pharmacist's own
  initiative under Subsection (b-1) is not subject to any criminal or
  civil liability or any professional disciplinary action for:
               (1)  dispensing or failing to dispense the opioid
  antagonist; or
               (2)  if the pharmacist chooses to dispense an opioid
  antagonist, any outcome resulting from the eventual administration
  of the opioid antagonist.
         SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to a person to whom the pharmacist dispenses an opioid medication
  under a prescription on or after the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.