SECTION 176.
The department of public health shall conduct a study relative to permitting pharmacists to fill prescriptions for schedule II narcotics written by mid-level practitioners in contiguous states. The study shall examine the educational requirements for licensing such mid-level practitioners by the contiguous states and whether such standards are equivalent to those in the commonwealth for the licensing of similar professions. The department shall report the results of the study to the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse and the house and senate committees on ways and means not later than December 31, 2016.
Veto Explanation:
I am vetoing this section because the Department of Public Health is currently engaged in a number of other studies and commissions, and lacks the resources to conduct the additional research required by this section. An outside section in the budget is also not the appropriate vehicle to make a policy change in the state's prescribing practices. This administration, however, acknowledges the value of coordinating laws relating to controlled substance prescriptions with other states. This is why I have been working with other New England governors to engage in cross-state collaboration with regard to prescription monitoring and prescription limits, drug trafficking, and prescriber education.