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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1599 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1243
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Pavel M. Payano
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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 specifying an electronic system to ensure that sales of certain products containing
pseudoephedrine (PSE) do not exceed limits established under federal law.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Pavel M. PayanoFirst Essex 1 of 4
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1599 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1243
By Mr. Payano, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1243) of Pavel M. Payano for
legislation to specify an electronic system to ensure that sales of certain products containing
pseudoephedrine (PSE) do not exceed limits established under federal law. The Judiciary.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1106 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act specifying an electronic system to ensure that sales of certain products containing
pseudoephedrine (PSE) do not exceed limits established under federal law.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Chapter 94C of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
2section 49 the following section:-
3 Section 50. (a) Definitions. The following definitions apply to this section 50.
4 (1) "Real-time stop sale system" means a system intended to be used by law enforcement
5agencies and pharmacies or other business establishments that:
6 (A) is installed, operated, and maintained free of any one-time or recurring charge to the
7business establishment or to the state; 2 of 4
8 (B) is able to communicate in real time with similar systems operated in other states and
9similar systems containing information submitted by more than one state;
10 (C) complies with the security policy of the Criminal Justice Information Services
11division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
12 (D) complies with information exchange standards adopted by the National Information
13Exchange Model;
14 (E) uses a mechanism to prevent the completion of a sale of a product containing
15ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or norpseudoephedrine that would violate state or federal law
16regarding the purchase of a product containing those substances; and
17 (F) is equipped with an override of the mechanism that:
18 (i) may be activated by an employee of a business establishment; and
19 (ii) creates a record of each activation of the override.
20 (b)(1) A retailer shall not sell to the same person, and a person shall not purchase,
21products containing more than three and six tenths (3.6) grams per day or more than nine (9)
22grams per thirty day period of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine base, or their isomers. The limits
23shall apply to the total amount of base ephedrine and pseudoephedrine contained in the products,
24and not the overall weight of the products.
25 (2) Nonprescription products containing pseudoephedrine or ephedrine shall be
26maintained behind the counter or in a locked case where the customer does not have direct
27access. 3 of 4
28 (c) The retailer shall require any person purchasing a nonprescription product that
29contains pseudoephedrine or ephedrine to present valid government issued photo identification at
30the point of sale. The retailer shall record the name and address of the purchaser; name and
31quantity of product purchased; date and time purchased; and purchaser identification type and
32number, such as driver license state and number, and require the purchaser’s signature in a
33logbook.
34 (d) Beginning January 1, 2026, a retailer shall, before completing a sale under this
35section, electronically submit the required information to the real-time stop sale system
36administered by the department of public health or such other appropriate state agency; provided
37that the system is available without a charge to retailers for access. Absent negligence,
38wantonness, recklessness, or deliberate misconduct, any retailer utilizing the electronic sales
39tracking system in accordance with this subdivision shall not be civilly liable as a result of any
40act or omission in carrying out the duties required by this subsection and shall be immune from
41liability to any third party unless the retailer has violated any provision of this subsection in
42relation to a claim brought for such violation.
43 (e) If a retailer selling a nonprescription product containing pseudoephedrine or
44ephedrine experiences mechanical or electronic failure of the electronic sales tracking system
45and is unable to comply with the electronic sales tracking requirement, the retailer shall maintain
46a written log or an alternative electronic recordkeeping mechanism until such time as the retailer
47is able to comply with the electronic sales tracking requirement.
48 (f) The vendor of the real time stop sale system shall forward state transaction records in
49the real-time stop sale system to the appropriate state agency weekly, and provide real-time 4 of 4
50access to the real-time stop sale system information through the system’s online portal to law
51enforcement in the state as authorized by the agency.
52 (g) This system shall be capable of generating a stop sale alert, which shall be a
53notification that completion of the sale would result in the seller or purchaser violating the
54quantity limits set forth in this section. The seller shall not complete the sale if the system
55generates a stop sale alert. The system shall contain an override function that may be used by a
56dispenser of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine who has a reasonable fear of imminent bodily harm if
57they do not complete a sale. Each instance in which the override function is utilized shall be
58logged by the system.
59 (h) A violation of any provision of this section is a misdemeanor, punishable by fine
60only, not to exceed $1,000 for a first violation of this section, and not to exceed $5,000 for any
61subsequent violation. If a product is dispensed in violation of subsection (a), the owner or
62operator of the wholesale or retail establishment dispensing the product shall be in violation of
63subsection (a).
64 (i) This section does not apply to a person who obtains the product pursuant to a valid
65prescription.
66 (j) This section shall preempt and supersede any local laws or ordinances regulating sales
67of products containing pseudoephedrine or ephedrine.