The House Committee on Health and Human Resources convened at 2 p.m. on Thursday, January 24, in 215-E to consider six pieces of legislation.
House Bill 2407 was first on the agenda, a bill to modernize the Nursing Practice Act. This bill would require that registered professional nurses in the state cannot practice without a license. Additionally, the bill also renames the board that oversees registered nurses, details the requirements for the composition of that board, and establishes permit and license requirements.
This bill passed the committee without question, and was advanced to the floor with recommendation that it should pass.
House Bill 2492 was also advanced to the House Floor without much discussion. This bill would revise the communication mechanism in which abuse and neglect cases could be reported within the state. It would allow the WV Department of Health and Human Resources to explore other methods of reportage that victims could access, such as an electronic portal.
House Bill 2524 would permit a West Virginia license pharmacist to move prescriptions for maintenance drugs that are for thirty days to be 60 or 90-day prescriptions when needed. In order for a pharmacist to do this, a list of criteria must be met for both the patient and the drug being administered. This would mostly apply to medications such as birth control, which are taken by a patient over a long term period.
Delegate Mike Pushkin (D-Kanawha) proposed an amendment to this bill, which would address the issue of some West Virginians in rural locations not having access to life-saving drugs or consistent transportation to get those consistent drugs.
Pushkin referenced a specific case of a man in Ohio who died because he could not get an emergency refill of his insulin.
The amendment to HB2524, which would allow a pharmacist to dispense certain drugs that are considered to be over Schedule II for a 72-hour period. Pharmacists would also have the option to allow for an individual to get a 30-day emergency refill for non-controlled substances, rather than the current 10-day refills they can currently get.
After members from the West Virginia Board of Pharmacy said that the amendment to the proposed legislation could be of benefit to them, Pushkin’s amendment passed overwhelmingly.
House Bill 2524 advanced to the floor with the recommendation that it pass as amended.
House Bill 2525 would permit licensed pharmacists to administer tobacco cessation therapy drugs to people over the age of 18 in the state of West Virginia without having to have a prescription. This bill was voted to advance to the House Floor with recommendation that it should pass.
House Bill 2531 would permit advanced nurse practitioners with a specialization in psychology to perform assisted therapy with the proper training. This would allow for more staffing opportunities for struggling state mental health facilities, which struggle to employ mental health experts. This bill was advanced to the floor with the recommendation that it should pass.
House Bill 2530 would create a voluntary certification for state recovery residencies, if they choose to become a part of the certification process. The DHHR would have discretion over how they facilitate accreditation, and how they evaluate the practice of the certified residencies. The bill has no force of law, and is completely voluntary.
House Bill 2530 was advanced to the House Floor with recommendation that it should pass.
