HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2788        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3498

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Marjorie C. Decker

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act to modernize standing orders for emergency contraception.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Marjorie C. Decker

25th Middlesex

1/16/2019

Mindy Domb

3rd Hampshire

2/1/2019

Carolyn C. Dykema

8th Middlesex

1/24/2019

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

1/31/2019

James K. Hawkins

2nd Bristol

1/25/2019

Stephan Hay

3rd Worcester

1/24/2019

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

1/28/2019

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

2/1/2019

Rebecca L. Rausch

Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex

1/30/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2788        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3498

By Ms. Decker of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3498) of Marjorie C. Decker and others relative to standing orders for emergency contraception.  Public Health.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

An Act to modernize standing orders for emergency contraception.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.  Section 19A of chapter 94C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out subsection (b) and inserting in place thereof the following 2 subsections:-

(b)  The department shall ensure that a statewide standing order is issued to authorize the dispensing of emergency contraception in the commonwealth by any licensed pharmacist. The statewide standing order shall include, but not be limited to, written, standardized procedures or protocols for the dispensing of emergency contraception by a licensed pharmacist. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the commissioner, or a physician who is designated by the commissioner and is registered to distribute or dispense a controlled substance in the course of professional practice under section 7, may issue a statewide standing order that may be used for a licensed pharmacist to dispense emergency contraception under this section. Except for an act of gross negligence or willful misconduct, the commissioner or a physician who issues said statewide standing order shall not be subject to any criminal or civil liability or any professional disciplinary action related to said order.

(b1/2) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a licensed pharmacist may dispense emergency contraception in accordance with the statewide standing order issued under subsection (b). Except for an act of gross negligence or willful misconduct, a pharmacist who, acting in good faith, dispenses emergency contraception in accordance with said order shall not be subject to any criminal or civil liability or any professional disciplinary action by the board of registration in pharmacy related to the use or administration of emergency contraception.

SECTION 2.  Subsection (d) of said section 19A of said chapter 94C, as so appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the first sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:-

A pharmacist who dispenses emergency contraception shall annually report to the department the number of emergency contraception doses dispensed.