|
The Governor signed House Bill 180, sponsored by Representative Danice Picraux. This bill put into law, language that included pharmacists and pharmacies in the immunization data base. Pharmacists have been providing immunizations since 1998. This will allow pharmacists the ability to access the on-line immunization data base to provide information to the data base when an immunization is performed at the pharmacy or to allow a pharmacist to access the data base to insure an unnecessary vaccination is not performed. The Governor signed SB 413 sponsored by Senator Joe Fidel. This bill amended the pharmacy act to allow changes in electronic prescribing requirements and emergency powers in case of disaster. The emergency powers language covered the concerns we were trying to address in other legislation. It was amended to include authority in counterfeit drug issues. 2005 was a Legislative Session that include many successes which did not carry through to the Governor. Two major pieces of Legislation were passed in the House and in the Senate but pocket vetoed by the Governor. One of these bills, HB 697, would have allowed pharmacists the ability to make “Therapeutic Interchange” decisions, based on prior agreement with the practitioners. This House Bill was sponsored by Representative John Heaton. The bill had slight opposition early on in the House, which we were able to overcome. There were no dissenting votes in Senate committees or on the Senate Floor. The other bill, HB 638, would have defined pharmacists as “providers and practitioners” in the insurance code. Pharmacists are defined as Licensed Practitioners in the NM Pharmacy Act, in the Controlled Substances act, and in the Drug Device and Cosmetic Act. This Legislation was sponsored by Representative Danice Picraux and there were no dissenting votes in any House or Senate Committees or on the House and Senate Floors. The Governor also vetoed HB 613 sponsored by Representative Tom Swisstack. The bill would have provided the Department of Health, through a declaration by the Governor, emergency powers over prescription medication dispensing. The emergency powers was covered by amendment in another bill which was signed by the Governor. |
|||