NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A873
SPONSOR: Rosenthal L TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to department analy-
sis of the prescription monitoring program registry
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this legislation is to identify over-prescribing of
opioids and to ensure that those individuals engaging in criminal activ-
ity are referred to the appropriate authority.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 - Amends section 3343-a of the public health, law to require
the department to identify and examine potential inappropriate prescrib-
ing.
Section 2 - Effective Date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Every community across New York has been affected by the opioid epidem-
ic. In 2015, 2,158 New Yorkers died as a result of opioid addiction.
While, the number of opioid prescriptions continues to decline, recent
headlines highlight the need for prosecution of pill mills. "Pill mill"
is a term which refers to doctors, clinics, or other prescribers that
inappropriately and illegally prescribe opioids. Recent prosecutions of
pill mills have been conducted by federal authorities. New York's
prescription monitoring program tracks all opioid prescriptions in the
state. New York should not rely on federal authorities to take down pill
mills. The Department of Health has the information to track and analyze
opioid prescriptions and should actively use this information to elimi-
nate pill mills and the threat they pose to New Yorkers.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021-22: A.3447 - Referred to Health; S.5199 - Referred to Health
2019-20: A.8914 - Referred to Health; S.5653-A - Passed Senate
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
873
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 11, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to department analy-
sis of the prescription monitoring program registry
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 7 of section 3343-a of the public health law,
2 as added by section 2 of part A of chapter 447 of the laws of 2012, is
3 amended to read as follows:
4 7. Department analysis of data. The department shall periodically
5 analyze data contained in the prescription monitoring program registry
6 to identify information that indicates that a violation of law or breach
7 of professional standards may have occurred, including the inappropriate
8 prescribing of controlled substances and, as warranted, provide any
9 relevant information to appropriate entities as permitted under section
10 thirty-three hundred seventy-one of this article. The department shall
11 keep a record of the information provided, including, but not limited
12 to, the specific information provided and the agency to which such
13 information was provided, including the name and title of the person to
14 whom such information was provided and an attestation from such person
15 that he or she has authority to receive such information.
16 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01245-01-3
