HB4707eng 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB4707 Engrossed LRB100 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) Many prescribers 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 medical professionals and has enacted various licensing Acts for that purpose authorizing the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to license and discipline these medical professionals.

(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 19 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 nursing;

(B) a statewide organization representing hospitals;

(C) a statewide organization representing retail merchants;

(D) a statewide organization representing dentists;

(E) a statewide organization representing physicians;

(F) a statewide organization representing health-system pharmacists;

(G) a statewide organization representing optometrists;

(H) a statewide organization representing pharmacists; and

(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; and

(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. . (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;

(3) recommend whether restrictions on 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.

(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) After completion of its duties, the Task Force shall report its recommendations to the General Assembly. 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.

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