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Senate File 151 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1requesting the establishment of an interim study
2committee by the legislative council regarding prescription
3pain medication.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. EVALUATION OF PRESCRIPTION PAIN MEDICATION
2CRISIS — INTERIM STUDY COMMITTEE.
31. The legislative council is requested to establish an
4interim study committee to comprehensively evaluate the state’s
5response to the national prescription pain medication crisis
6from both the public health and law enforcement perspectives.
72. The committee may receive input from agencies and
8entities including but not limited to the department of public
9health, the department of public safety, the board of pharmacy,
10the department of corrections, the state medical examiner,
11and representatives of the medical community, community-based
12corrections, law enforcement agencies, and employers.
133. In conducting the evaluation, the committee shall review
14information including but not limited to all of the following:
15a. The number of prescriptions for pain medications issued
16in Iowa and upward and downward trends over a specified period.
17b. The number of deaths annually attributable to
18prescription pain medication overdoses and illegal drugs, the
19accuracy of the underlying reporting system for such deaths,
20the potential for underreporting of such deaths especially for
21older individuals for whom a death might be reported as due to
22natural causes based on the age of the individual, and the need
23to develop a framework for reporting and disseminating more
24accurate data.
25c. The protocols being followed by the medical community to
26assist those persons addicted to prescription pain medications
27to reduce reliance on the medications and slowly withdraw, and
28the roles of pharmacists, prescribers, and others in averting
29and reporting possible addiction.
30d. Whether the current scheduling practices for
31prescription pain medications are helpful or harmful in
32preventing addiction and criminal activity and whether the
33state should continue to strictly follow the scheduling
34practices of the federal government or explore another
35approach.
-1- 1e. The specific treatment models available for those
2persons addicted to prescription pain medications, including
3those available in correctional settings and those utilized for
4individuals with a medical condition for which a symptom is
5chronic pain.
6f. Alternative pain management approaches and the
7availability, affordability, and effectiveness of such
8approaches.
9g. The potential budgetary impact on the correctional
10system if the misuse of prescription pain medications results
11in criminal activity.
12h. The limitations on employment opportunities for and
13increased health insurance costs to employers due to Iowans
14with chronic pain issues.
15i. The capacity of the state to meet the needs of older
16individuals who have become reliant on pain medications to
17enhance quality of life.
184. The committee shall submit recommendations to the
19governor and the general assembly by January 1, 2018.
20EXPLANATION
21The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
22the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
23This bill requests that the legislative council establish an
24interim study committee to comprehensively evaluate the state’s
25response to the national prescription pain medication crisis
26from both the public health and law enforcement perspectives.
27The bill provides that the committee may receive input
28from agencies and entities including but not limited to the
29department of public health, the department of public safety,
30the board of pharmacy, the department of corrections, the state
31medical examiner, and representatives of the medical community,
32community-based corrections, law enforcement agencies, and
33employers. The bill specifies the types of information the
34committee is to review in conducting its evaluation and directs
35the committee to submit recommendations to the governor and the
-2-1general assembly by January 1, 2018.
-3-pf/nh
2committee by the legislative council regarding prescription
3pain medication.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. EVALUATION OF PRESCRIPTION PAIN MEDICATION
2CRISIS — INTERIM STUDY COMMITTEE.
31. The legislative council is requested to establish an
4interim study committee to comprehensively evaluate the state’s
5response to the national prescription pain medication crisis
6from both the public health and law enforcement perspectives.
72. The committee may receive input from agencies and
8entities including but not limited to the department of public
9health, the department of public safety, the board of pharmacy,
10the department of corrections, the state medical examiner,
11and representatives of the medical community, community-based
12corrections, law enforcement agencies, and employers.
133. In conducting the evaluation, the committee shall review
14information including but not limited to all of the following:
15a. The number of prescriptions for pain medications issued
16in Iowa and upward and downward trends over a specified period.
17b. The number of deaths annually attributable to
18prescription pain medication overdoses and illegal drugs, the
19accuracy of the underlying reporting system for such deaths,
20the potential for underreporting of such deaths especially for
21older individuals for whom a death might be reported as due to
22natural causes based on the age of the individual, and the need
23to develop a framework for reporting and disseminating more
24accurate data.
25c. The protocols being followed by the medical community to
26assist those persons addicted to prescription pain medications
27to reduce reliance on the medications and slowly withdraw, and
28the roles of pharmacists, prescribers, and others in averting
29and reporting possible addiction.
30d. Whether the current scheduling practices for
31prescription pain medications are helpful or harmful in
32preventing addiction and criminal activity and whether the
33state should continue to strictly follow the scheduling
34practices of the federal government or explore another
35approach.
-1- 1e. The specific treatment models available for those
2persons addicted to prescription pain medications, including
3those available in correctional settings and those utilized for
4individuals with a medical condition for which a symptom is
5chronic pain.
6f. Alternative pain management approaches and the
7availability, affordability, and effectiveness of such
8approaches.
9g. The potential budgetary impact on the correctional
10system if the misuse of prescription pain medications results
11in criminal activity.
12h. The limitations on employment opportunities for and
13increased health insurance costs to employers due to Iowans
14with chronic pain issues.
15i. The capacity of the state to meet the needs of older
16individuals who have become reliant on pain medications to
17enhance quality of life.
184. The committee shall submit recommendations to the
19governor and the general assembly by January 1, 2018.
20EXPLANATION
21The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
22the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
23This bill requests that the legislative council establish an
24interim study committee to comprehensively evaluate the state’s
25response to the national prescription pain medication crisis
26from both the public health and law enforcement perspectives.
27The bill provides that the committee may receive input
28from agencies and entities including but not limited to the
29department of public health, the department of public safety,
30the board of pharmacy, the department of corrections, the state
31medical examiner, and representatives of the medical community,
32community-based corrections, law enforcement agencies, and
33employers. The bill specifies the types of information the
34committee is to review in conducting its evaluation and directs
35the committee to submit recommendations to the governor and the
-2-1general assembly by January 1, 2018.
-3-pf/nh