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SENATE BILL NO. 147
IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA
THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION
BY SENATOR GIESSEL BY REQUEST
Introduced: 3/26/25
Referred: Health and Social Services, Labor and Commerce
A BILL
FOR AN ACT ENTITLED
"An Act relating to the prescription and administration of drugs and devices by 1
pharmacists; relating to reciprocity for pharmacists; and providing for an effective 2
date." 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 4
* Section 1. AS 08.80.030(b) is amended to read: 5
(b) In order to fulfill its responsibilities, the board has the powers necessary 6
for implementation and enforcement of this chapter, including the power to 7
(1) elect a president and secretary from its membership and adopt rules 8
for the conduct of its business; 9
(2) license by examination or by license transfer the applicants who are 10
qualified to engage in the practice of pharmacy; 11
(3) assist the department in inspections and investigations for 12
violations of this chapter, or of any other state or federal statute relating to the practice 13
of pharmacy; 14 34-LS0274\I
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(4) adopt regulations to carry out the purposes of this chapter; 1
(5) establish and enforce compliance with professional standards and 2
rules of conduct for pharmacists engaged in the practice of pharmacy; 3
(6) determine standards for recognition and approval of degree 4
programs of schools and colleges of pharmacy whose graduates shall be eligible for 5
licensure in this state, including the specification and enforcement of requirements for 6
practical training, including internships; 7
(7) establish for pharmacists and pharmacies minimum specifications 8
for the physical facilities, technical equipment, personnel, and procedures for the 9
storage, compounding, and dispensing of drugs or related devices, and for the 10
monitoring of drug therapy, including independent monitoring of drug therapy; 11
(8) enforce the provisions of this chapter relating to the conduct or 12
competence of pharmacists practicing in the state, and the suspension, revocation, or 13
restriction of licenses to engage in the practice of pharmacy; 14
(9) license and regulate the training, qualifications, and employment of 15
pharmacy interns and pharmacy technicians; 16
(10) license and regulate the qualifications of entities and individuals 17
engaged in the manufacture or distribution of drugs and related devices; 18
(11) establish and maintain a controlled substance prescription 19
database as provided in AS 17.30.200; 20
(12) establish standards for the independent prescribing and 21
administration of vaccines and related emergency medications under AS 08.80.168, 22
including the completion of an immunization training program approved by the board 23
and an epinephrine auto-injector training program under AS 17.22.020(b); 24
(13) establish standards for the independent prescribing and dispensing 25
by a pharmacist of an opioid overdose drug under AS 17.20.085, including the 26
completion of an opioid overdose training program approved by the board; 27
(14) require that a licensed pharmacist who prescribes, administers, 28
or dispenses a schedule IA, IIA, IIIA, IVA, or VA controlled substance under 29
state law or schedule II, III, [OR] IV, or V controlled substance under federal law to a 30
person in the state register with the controlled substance prescription database under 31 34-LS0274\I
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AS 17.30.200(n); 1
(15) establish the qualifications and duties of the executive 2
administrator and delegate authority to the executive administrator that is necessary to 3
conduct board business; 4
(16) license and inspect the facilities of pharmacies, manufacturers, 5
wholesale drug distributors, third-party logistics providers, and outsourcing facilities 6
located outside the state under AS 08.80.159; 7
(17) license Internet-based pharmacies providing services to residents 8
in the state; 9
(18) adopt regulations pertaining to retired pharmacist status. 10
* Sec. 2. AS 08.80.110 is amended to read: 11
Sec. 08.80.110. Qualifications for licensure by examination. An applicant 12
for licensure as a pharmacist shall 13
(1) be fluent in the reading, writing, and speaking of the English 14
language; 15
(2) be a graduate of a college in a degree program approved by the 16
board; 17
(3) pass an examination or examinations given by the board or 18
acceptable to the board under the score transfer process administered by the National 19
Association of Boards of Pharmacy; 20
(4) have completed internship training or another program that has 21
been approved by the board or demonstrated to the board's satisfaction that the 22
applicant has experience in the practice of pharmacy that meets or exceeds the 23
minimum internship requirements of the board; and 24
(5) receive education in pain management and opioid use and 25
addiction, unless the applicant has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the board 26
that the applicant does not currently hold a valid federal Drug Enforcement 27
Administration registration number; an applicant may include past professional 28
experience or professional education as proof of professional competence. 29
* Sec. 3. AS 08.80.145 is amended to read: 30
Sec. 08.80.145. Reciprocity; license transfer. If another jurisdiction allows 31 34-LS0274\I
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licensure in that jurisdiction of a pharmacist licensed in this state under conditions 1
similar to those in this section, the board may license as a pharmacist in this state a 2
person licensed as a pharmacist in the other jurisdiction if the person 3
(1) submits a written application to the board on a form required by the 4
board; 5
(2) is at least 18 years of age; 6
(3) possesses at the time of the request for licensure as a pharmacist in 7
this state the qualifications necessary to be eligible for licensure in this state; 8
(4) has engaged in the practice of pharmacy for at least one year 9
immediately before applying for a license under this section; 10
(5) presents proof satisfactory to the board that the person is currently 11
licensed as a pharmacist in the other jurisdiction and does not currently have a 12
pharmacist license suspended, revoked, or otherwise restricted except for failure to 13
apply for renewal or failure to obtain the required continuing education credits; 14
(6) has passed an examination approved by the board that tests the 15
person's knowledge of Alaska laws relating to pharmacies and pharmacists and the 16
regulations adopted under those laws; [AND] 17
(7) meets the requirements of AS 08.80.110(5); and 18
(8) pays all required fees. 19
* Sec. 4. AS 08.80.165 is amended to read: 20
Sec. 08.80.165. Continuing education requirements. The board shall 21
establish requirements for continuing education in pharmacy that must be satisfied 22
before a license issued under this chapter may be renewed. The continuing education 23
requirements must include at least two hours of education in pain management 24
and opioid use and addiction in the two years preceding an application for 25
renewal of a license. The board may exempt a licensee from the requirement to 26
receive at least two hours of education in pain management and opioid use and 27
addiction if the licensee demonstrates to the satisfaction of the board that 28
(1) the licensee's practice does not include pain management and 29
opioid prescription or administration; or 30
(2) the licensee does not currently hold a valid federal Drug 31 34-LS0274\I
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Enforcement Administration registration number. 1
* Sec. 5. AS 08.80.337(a) is amended to read: 2
(a) A pharmacist may, under a collaborative practice agreement with a written 3
protocol approved by a practitioner who is not a pharmacist, provide patient care 4
services. 5
* Sec. 6. AS 08.80.337(d) is amended to read: 6
(d) In this section, "patient care services" means medical care services, 7
including the prescription or administration of a drug or device to a patient, that 8
are given in exchange for compensation and intended to achieve outcomes related to 9
the cure or prevention of a disease, elimination or reduction of a patient's symptoms, 10
or arresting or slowing of a disease process. 11
* Sec. 7. AS 08.80.337 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 12
(e) A pharmacist prescribing or administering a drug or device under this 13
section shall recognize the limits of the pharmacist's education, training, and 14
experience and consult with and refer to other practitioners as appropriate. 15
* Sec. 8. AS 08.80.480(30) is amended to read: 16
(30) "practice of pharmacy" means the interpretation, evaluation, and 17
dispensing of prescription drug orders in the patient's best interest; participation in 18
drug and device selection, drug administration, drug regimen reviews, and drug or 19
drug-related research; provision of patient counseling and the provision of those acts 20
or services necessary to provide pharmaceutical care; the independent prescribing, 21
dispensing, and administration of drugs in accordance with AS 08.80.168; providing 22
patient care services in accordance with AS 08.80.337; the responsibility for 23
compounding and labeling of drugs and devices except labeling by a manufacturer, 24
repackager, or distributor of nonprescription drugs and commercially packaged legend 25
drugs and devices; proper and safe storage of drugs and devices; and maintenance of 26
proper records for them; 27
* Sec. 9. AS 08.80.480 is amended by adding a new paragraph to read: 28
(40) "opioid" includes the opium and opiate substances and opium and 29
opiate derivatives listed in AS 11.71.140 and 11.71.160. 30
* Sec. 10. AS 08.80.337(c) is repealed. 31 34-LS0274\I
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* Sec. 11. This Act takes effect January 1, 2026. 1