HB 1239

Present law authorizes certain limited healthcare providers to prescribe a product containing bupreno rphine for opiate addiction treatment or related treatments. Physicians licensed by the state board of medical examiners or the board of osteopathic examination are the only healthcare providers authorized to prescribe any buprenorphine product for any f e deral food and drug administration approved use in recovery or medication-assisted treatment. However, present law provides certain exceptions. This bill creates an exception for healthcare providers who are not licensed by the state board of medical ex aminers or the board of osteopathic examination, but are otherwise permitted to prescribe Schedule II or III drugs, if the provider meets all of the following conditions:  Has an active registration with the federal drug enforcement agency.  Is employed by or contracts with a state correctional facility, or a county or municipal jail to provide healthcare services on-site or via telemedicine.  Has adopted clinical protocols for the facilitation or continuance of medication-assisted treatment for persons who are incarcerated in or to be released from such state correctional facility or county or municipal jail. ON APRIL 7, 2025, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 1239, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, make the foll owing revisions to present law:  Provides that a physician licensed in this state is the only healthcare provider authorized to prescribe a buprenorphine product for a federal food and drug administration-approved use in recovery or medication-assisted treatment.  Prohibits h ealthcare providers not licensed in this state , and who are otherwise permitted to prescribe Schedule II or III drugs under this state's law, from prescribing a buprenorphine product for the treatment of opioid use disorder unless the provider meets the following criteria:  Has an active registration with the federal drug enforcement agency .  Is employed by , or contracts with , a state correctional facility , or a county or municipal jail to provide healthcare services .  Has adopted clinical protocols for the facilitation or continuance of medication-assisted treatment for persons who are incarcerated in , or to be released from , such state correctional facility or county or municipal jail .  Writes prescriptions for buprenorphine to no more than 50 patients at any given time .  Collaborates with a physician who reviews 100% of the charts of the patients being prescribed a buprenorphine product .  Is supervised by , or collaborates with , a physician who is limited to the supervision of, or collaboration for, a maximum of five licensed nurse practitioners or physician assistants .  Does not write any prescription for a buprenorphine product that exceeds a 16 -milligram daily equivalent .  Has had no limitations or conditions imposed on the provider's license by the provider's licensing authority within the previous three years .  Prescribes buprenorphine products only to patients who are treated through the correctional facility that employs the provider.