SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any special or general law there shall be a special commission to study the alternatives and develop recommendations to broaden the availability of naloxone without prescription, including but not limited to recommendations on the standing order process, the collaborative practice agreement process, and/or legislative recommendations.

The special commission shall consist of: the secretary of health and human services or their designee, who shall serve as chair; the commissioner of the division of insurance or their designee; three members to be appointed by the governor, which shall include: one person who is a prescribing physician, one person who is a stakeholder within a retail pharmacy company, and one member of the general citizenry impacted by the opiate epidemic; two members of the house of representatives, one of whom to be appointed by the minority leader; two members of the senate, one of whom to be appointed by the minority leader; the director of the board of pharmacy or their designee; the director of the bureau of substance abuse services or their designee; provided, however, that the first meeting of the commission shall take place not later than January 1, 2018.

The special commission shall submit its recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation, to the clerks of the house of representative and the senate, the chairs of the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse not later than May 1, 2018.