Bill Text: IA SF151 | 2017-2018 | 87th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act requesting the establishment of an interim study committee by the legislative council regarding prescription pain medication.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-01-30 - Subcommittee: Segebart, Greene, and Mathis. S.J. 172. [SF151 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2017-SF151-Introduced.html
Senate File 151 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY ZAUN A BILL FOR 1 An Act requesting the establishment of an interim study 2 committee by the legislative council regarding prescription 3 pain medication. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 2014XS (2) 87 pf/nh PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. EVALUATION OF PRESCRIPTION PAIN MEDICATION 1 2 CRISIS == INTERIM STUDY COMMITTEE. 1 3 1. The legislative council is requested to establish an 1 4 interim study committee to comprehensively evaluate the state's 1 5 response to the national prescription pain medication crisis 1 6 from both the public health and law enforcement perspectives. 1 7 2. The committee may receive input from agencies and 1 8 entities including but not limited to the department of public 1 9 health, the department of public safety, the board of pharmacy, 1 10 the department of corrections, the state medical examiner, 1 11 and representatives of the medical community, community=based 1 12 corrections, law enforcement agencies, and employers. 1 13 3. In conducting the evaluation, the committee shall review 1 14 information including but not limited to all of the following: 1 15 a. The number of prescriptions for pain medications issued 1 16 in Iowa and upward and downward trends over a specified period. 1 17 b. The number of deaths annually attributable to 1 18 prescription pain medication overdoses and illegal drugs, the 1 19 accuracy of the underlying reporting system for such deaths, 1 20 the potential for underreporting of such deaths especially for 1 21 older individuals for whom a death might be reported as due to 1 22 natural causes based on the age of the individual, and the need 1 23 to develop a framework for reporting and disseminating more 1 24 accurate data. 1 25 c. The protocols being followed by the medical community to 1 26 assist those persons addicted to prescription pain medications 1 27 to reduce reliance on the medications and slowly withdraw, and 1 28 the roles of pharmacists, prescribers, and others in averting 1 29 and reporting possible addiction. 1 30 d. Whether the current scheduling practices for 1 31 prescription pain medications are helpful or harmful in 1 32 preventing addiction and criminal activity and whether the 1 33 state should continue to strictly follow the scheduling 1 34 practices of the federal government or explore another 1 35 approach. 2 1 e. The specific treatment models available for those 2 2 persons addicted to prescription pain medications, including 2 3 those available in correctional settings and those utilized for 2 4 individuals with a medical condition for which a symptom is 2 5 chronic pain. 2 6 f. Alternative pain management approaches and the 2 7 availability, affordability, and effectiveness of such 2 8 approaches. 2 9 g. The potential budgetary impact on the correctional 2 10 system if the misuse of prescription pain medications results 2 11 in criminal activity. 2 12 h. The limitations on employment opportunities for and 2 13 increased health insurance costs to employers due to Iowans 2 14 with chronic pain issues. 2 15 i. The capacity of the state to meet the needs of older 2 16 individuals who have become reliant on pain medications to 2 17 enhance quality of life. 2 18 4. The committee shall submit recommendations to the 2 19 governor and the general assembly by January 1, 2018. 2 20 EXPLANATION 2 21 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 2 22 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly. 2 23 This bill requests that the legislative council establish an 2 24 interim study committee to comprehensively evaluate the state's 2 25 response to the national prescription pain medication crisis 2 26 from both the public health and law enforcement perspectives. 2 27 The bill provides that the committee may receive input 2 28 from agencies and entities including but not limited to the 2 29 department of public health, the department of public safety, 2 30 the board of pharmacy, the department of corrections, the state 2 31 medical examiner, and representatives of the medical community, 2 32 community=based corrections, law enforcement agencies, and 2 33 employers. The bill specifies the types of information the 2 34 committee is to review in conducting its evaluation and directs 2 35 the committee to submit recommendations to the governor and the 3 1 general assembly by January 1, 2018. LSB 2014XS (2) 87 pf/nh