Public Act 100-0989
 
HB4707 EnrolledLRB100 16559 RLC 31691 b

    AN ACT concerning criminal law.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    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) 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.
    (3) While opioid abuse is an endemic public health problem,
there are patients in pain who may need opioids for legitimate
medical reasons.
    (4) It has the right to regulate the licensing of health
care professionals and has enacted various licensing Acts for
that purpose authorizing the Department of Financial and
Professional Regulation to license and discipline these health
care professionals.
    (5) A legislative Task Force is necessary to study
prescription opioid abuse, 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 25 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 Secretary of Human Services or his or her
    designee;
        (6) one member from each of the following organizations
    appointed by the Secretary of Human Services from nominees
    made by the respective organization:
            (A) a statewide organization representing advanced
        practice registered nurses;
            (B) a statewide organization representing
        hospitals;
            (C) a statewide organization representing retail
        merchants;
            (D) a statewide organization representing
        dentists;
            (E) a statewide organization representing
        physician assistants;
            (F) a statewide organization representing
        health-system pharmacists;
            (G) a statewide organization representing
        optometrists;
            (H) a statewide organization representing
        pharmacists;
            (I) a statewide organization representing
        pharmaceutical manufacturers;
        (7) 2 members who are parents whose children have died
    from drug overdoses, appointed by the Secretary of Human
    Services;
        (8) 2 members who are selected from county sheriffs,
    municipal police chiefs, and State's Attorneys, appointed
    by the Attorney General;
        (9) 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;
        (10) 2 members who are representatives of providers of
    addiction treatment services, appointed by the Secretary
    of Human Services;
        (11) 2 members who are public defenders, appointed by
    the Attorney General; and
        (12) 2 members who are physicians licensed to practice
    medicine in all its branches, including one physician
    specializing in pain management and one physician
    specializing in emergency medicine, nominated by a
    statewide organization representing physicians licensed to
    practice medicine in all its branches, appointed by the
    Secretary of Human Services.
    (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 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 of opioids such as
    Hydrocodone and Oxycodone; and
        (3) recommend any legislation, including amendments to
    the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, that would have the
    effect of reducing opioid addiction and abuse.
    (f) The Task Force shall focus its efforts in a manner that
best utilizes the unique skills and perspectives of the experts
on the Task Force.
    (g) The Task Force shall submit a report of its
recommendations to the General Assembly on or before December
31, 2019. The report to the General Assembly shall be filed
with the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the
Secretary of the Senate in electronic form only, in the manner
that the Clerk and the Secretary shall direct.
    (h) The Department of Human Services shall provide
administrative and other support to the Task Force.
    (i) This Act is repealed on January 1, 2021.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.