| 1 | 1 | | 25 LC 57 0288 |
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| 2 | 2 | | House Bill 923 |
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| 3 | 3 | | By: Representatives Hagan of the 156 |
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| 4 | 4 | | th |
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| 5 | 5 | | , Silcox of the 53 |
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| 6 | 6 | | rd |
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| 7 | 7 | | , Ridley of the 22 |
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| 8 | 8 | | nd |
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| 9 | 9 | | , and Gambill |
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| 10 | 10 | | of the 15 |
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| 11 | 11 | | th |
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| 12 | 12 | | |
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| 13 | 13 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 14 | 14 | | AN ACT |
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| 15 | 15 | | To amend Article 6 of Chapter 4 of Title 26 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, |
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| 16 | 16 | | 1 |
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| 17 | 17 | | relating to pharmacies, so as to require pharmacies to furnish patients with written2 |
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| 18 | 18 | | informational material when dispensing certain prescription drugs; to require pharmacies to3 |
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| 19 | 19 | | provide a means to safely dispose of unused, unwanted, or expired prescription drugs; to4 |
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| 20 | 20 | | repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.5 |
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| 21 | 21 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:6 |
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| 22 | 22 | | SECTION 1.7 |
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| 23 | 23 | | Article 6 of Chapter 4 of Title 26 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to8 |
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| 24 | 24 | | pharmacies, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows: 9 |
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| 25 | 25 | | "26-4-120. |
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| 26 | 26 | | 10 |
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| 27 | 27 | | (a) Each pharmacy in this state that dispenses prescription drugs shall, when dispensing11 |
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| 28 | 28 | | to an individual located in this state a Schedule II controlled substance prescription drug12 |
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| 29 | 29 | | and any other prescription drug as may be designated by the board:13 |
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| 30 | 30 | | (1) Provide written informational material:14 |
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| 31 | 31 | | (A) Notifying such individual that when unused, unwanted, or expired prescription15 |
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| 32 | 32 | | drugs are not properly, safely, and promptly disposed of, the following may occur:16 |
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| 33 | 33 | | H. B. 923 |
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| 34 | 34 | | - 1 - 25 LC 57 0288 |
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| 35 | 35 | | (i) There is a risk that prescription drugs can be stolen, diverted, abused, misused, or17 |
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| 36 | 36 | | accidentally ingested, which can pose a risk to the health and safety of the patient and18 |
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| 37 | 37 | | other members of the patient's household;19 |
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| 38 | 38 | | (ii) Children are particularly at risk of accidentally ingesting unused, unwanted, and20 |
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| 39 | 39 | | expired prescription drugs that have not been properly and effectively disposed of;21 |
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| 40 | 40 | | (iii) When prescription drugs are improperly disposed of or flushed down the drain,22 |
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| 41 | 41 | | such drugs can leak into the ecosystem, which can have a potentially adverse or23 |
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| 42 | 42 | | harmful effect on the environment; and24 |
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| 43 | 43 | | (iv) When prescription drugs are disposed of in the household trash without such25 |
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| 44 | 44 | | drugs having been rendered unusable and unavailable, they may be diverted or26 |
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| 45 | 45 | | misused; and27 |
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| 46 | 46 | | (B) Concerning how to properly, safely, and promptly dispose of unused, unwanted,28 |
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| 47 | 47 | | or expired prescription drugs. Such informational material concerning proper, safe, and29 |
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| 48 | 48 | | prompt disposal may include, but shall not be limited to, information concerning the30 |
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| 49 | 49 | | drug disposal options made available pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection. The31 |
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| 50 | 50 | | pharmacist or his or her designee dispensing such prescription drug shall answer any32 |
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| 51 | 51 | | questions such individual may have upon receiving, and in response to, such written33 |
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| 52 | 52 | | informational material; and34 |
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| 53 | 53 | | (2) Make available onsite, for purchase, or at no cost to the patient, at least one consumer35 |
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| 54 | 54 | | method for individuals to safely and effectively dispose of unused, unwanted, or expired36 |
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| 55 | 55 | | prescription drugs in the home. Such method or methods shall include, but shall not be37 |
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| 56 | 56 | | limited to, a nonprescription in-home solution or a secured medication collection38 |
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| 57 | 57 | | receptacle or box.39 |
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| 58 | 58 | | (b)(1) Each nonprescription in-home solution made available pursuant to paragraph (2)40 |
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| 59 | 59 | | of subsection (a) of this Code section shall:41 |
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| 60 | 60 | | (A) Enable the patient to directly and safely discard unused, unwanted, or expired42 |
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| 61 | 61 | | prescription drugs at home when the current state or federally recommended methods43 |
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| 62 | 62 | | H. B. 923 |
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| 63 | 63 | | - 2 - 25 LC 57 0288 |
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| 64 | 64 | | or specialized collections are neither available nor convenient or when waiting for any44 |
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| 65 | 65 | | such event will increase the opportunity for household harm, unintended risk, or human45 |
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| 66 | 66 | | exposure;46 |
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| 67 | 67 | | (B) Offer the patient an effective system that alters the physical integrity of the47 |
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| 68 | 68 | | prescription drug's formulation;48 |
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| 69 | 69 | | (C) Render the active ingredient or ingredients unusable for practicable purposes,49 |
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| 70 | 70 | | thereby mitigating the risk of nonmedical use or overdose;50 |
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| 71 | 71 | | (D) Serve as nontoxic, nonhazardous, pose no threat to the patient, and reduce the51 |
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| 72 | 72 | | prescription drug's exposure to the environment; and52 |
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| 73 | 73 | | (E) Act as a deterrent for misuse with simple and effective education.53 |
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| 74 | 74 | | (2) Each secured medication collection receptacle or box shall be made available in54 |
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| 75 | 75 | | accordance with the regulations of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration55 |
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| 76 | 76 | | in 21 C.F.R. Part 1317, as such regulations exist on July 1, 2025. Such receptacle or box56 |
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| 77 | 77 | | shall be marked and identified by prominent signage.57 |
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| 78 | 78 | | (3) The manufacturer of each nonprescription in-home solution or secured medication58 |
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| 79 | 79 | | collection receptacle or box made available shall represent upon request that none of the59 |
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| 80 | 80 | | components or methods of disposal individually, as a blend, as a solution, or as treatment60 |
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| 81 | 81 | | and destruction facility are toxic and that such composition or collection receptacle or61 |
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| 82 | 82 | | box complies with the waste regulations as established by the United States62 |
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| 83 | 83 | | Environmental Protection Agency for municipal household waste disposal.63 |
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| 84 | 84 | | (4) Each manufacturer, supplier, or servicing agent of a commercial collection program64 |
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| 85 | 85 | | that uses secured medication collection receptacles or boxes shall comply with the65 |
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| 86 | 86 | | regulations of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration in 21 C.F.R.66 |
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| 87 | 87 | | Part 1317, as such regulations exist on July 1, 2025. Such manufacturer, supplier, or67 |
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| 88 | 88 | | servicing agent shall ensure that methods of incineration are in accordance with the68 |
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| 89 | 89 | | permitted hazardous waste combustor recommendations as provided by the federal69 |
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| 90 | 90 | | H. B. 923 |
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| 91 | 91 | | - 3 - 25 LC 57 0288 |
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| 92 | 92 | | Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (P.L. 94-580, 42 U.S.C. Section 6901,70 |
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| 93 | 93 | | et. seq.), as amended.71 |
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| 94 | 94 | | (c) The requirements of subsection (a) of this Code section shall apply regardless of72 |
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| 95 | 95 | | whether such prescription drug order is an initial order, renewal order, or refill of an73 |
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| 96 | 96 | | existing prescription order and regardless of whether the individual picking up such74 |
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| 97 | 97 | | prescribed drug is a new or returning customer of such dispensing pharmacy."75 |
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| 98 | 98 | | SECTION 2.76 |
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| 99 | 99 | | All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.77 |
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| 100 | 100 | | H. B. 923 |
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| 101 | 101 | | - 4 - |
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