Newsom Signs Pharmacy Bill to Aid During Disaster

SACRAMENTO — For the second time in a week, Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed  into law legislation that Sen. Jeff Stone, R-Riverside, authored.

Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 569, which will allow pharmacists to dispense controlled a substance without a security form during a declared disaster, Stone’s office announced on Friday.

Newsom this week also signed legislation Stone authored that will allow boats driven by intoxicated individuals to be impounded for up to 30 days.

en.Senate Bill 569 bill had previously passed both the state Assembly and the state Senate unanimously.

The California State Board of Pharmacy received information on challenges during recent declared disasters, including the recent Camp Wildfire. During this fire, many individuals were displaced, and significant damage occurred to infrastructure and healthcare facilities. One of the challenges identified to the Board of Pharmacy was limited access to prescription medications including controlled medications for pain, ADHD, depression, and anxiety treatment.

Existing law establishes requirements for controlled substance security forms, including required elements that must be included on the printed security form. But  there is currently no exemption from these requirements for a declared disaster. In addition, during a declared disaster many patient care areas occur in emergency shelters, public schools, and even churches. These non-traditional medical patient care settings may not have access to compliant controlled substances security forms.

Senate Bill 569 will fix this by creating a limited exemption to the controlled substances forms requirements during the initial phase of a local, state, or federal declared disaster.

“I thank the governor and the legislature for their support of this important legislation that will help those who have experienced a disaster,” Stone said in a news release.

Stone represents California’s 28th Senate District. The district, which is entirely in Riverside County, stretches from the vineyards of the Temecula Valley to the Colorado River and includes the cities of Blythe, Canyon Lake, Cathedral City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells, Indio, Lake Elsinore, La Quinta, Murrieta, Temecula, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage and Wildomar.