HB4707ham001 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. Sue Scherer

Filed: 3/7/2018

10000HB4707ham001 LRB100 16559 RLC 37113 a

AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 4707

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 4707 by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

"Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Prescription Drug Task Force Act.

Section 5. Purpose. The General Assembly finds that:

(1) Prescription opioid abuse is endemic in this State.

(2) Many physicians in this State over-prescribe Schedule II controlled substances such as Hydrocodone and Oxycodone for pain relief that are classified as opiates.

(3) Some medical studies have shown that the use of opioid versus non-opioid medication therapy did not result in significantly better pain-related function over the trial periods.

(4) It has the right to regulate the licensing of physicians and has enacted the Medical Practice Act of 1987 for that purpose authorizing the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to license and discipline physicians.

(5) A legislative Task Force is necessary to study the extent of over prescription of opioids to patients, and to make recommendations of future legislation to address this issue.

Section 10. Prescription Drug Task Force.

(a) The Prescription Drug Task Force is created. The Task Force shall be composed of 17 members appointed as follows:

(1) one member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(2) one member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;

(3) one member of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate;

(4) one member of the Senate appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

(5) the Director of Public Health or his or her designee;

(5) one member from each of the following organizations appointed by the Director of Public Health from nominees made by the respective organization:

(A) the Illinois Society for Advanced Practice Nursing;

(B) the Illinois Health and Hospital Association;

(C) the Illinois Retail Merchants Association;

(D) the Illinois State Dental Society;

(E) the Illinois State Medical Society;

(F) the Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists; and

(G) the Illinois Optometric Association;

(6) 2 members who are parents whose children have died from drug overdoses, appointed by the Director of Public Health;

(7) 2 members who are selected from county sheriffs, municipal police chiefs, and State's Attorneys, appointed by the Attorney General; and

(8) one member who is a peace officer specializing in the enforcement of laws prohibiting the illegal manufacture, delivery, and possession of controlled substances and methamphetamine, appointed by the Director of State Police. . (b) The Task Force shall choose its chairperson from among its members and any other officers it deems appropriate.

(c) The Task Force shall initially meet within 30 days after the effective date of this Act. The members of the Task Force shall receive no compensation for their services as members of the Task Force but may be reimbursed for expenses from appropriations made by law.

(d) The Task Force may seek the assistance of the Departments of Human Services, Financial and Professional Regulation, and Public Health in performing its duties.

(e) The Task Force shall:

(1) study prescription opioid abuse in this State;

(2) study the over-prescription by physicians of opioids such as Hydrocodone and Oxycodone;

(3) recommend whether restrictions on physician prescriptions of opioids should be enacted by the General Assembly; and

(4) recommend any other legislation, including amendments to the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, that would have the effect of reducing opioid addiction and abuse.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.".