SB113 Alabama 2011 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Arthur OrrSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2011

Title

Corrections Department, prescription medication, unused, redispensing authorized under certain conditions

Summary

The bill lets Alabama's Department of Corrections accept and redispense unused prescription medications under strict safety rules.

What This Bill Does

It authorizes ADOC pharmacies or their contractors to accept prescription drugs that have been dispensed and returned from corrections facilities, provided safety conditions are met. The drugs must be checked for damage, proper handling, and must not have left the control of the responsible nurse or LPN; labeling and packaging must be accurate and intact, and the drugs must be in unit-dose or unit-of-issue packaging. The bill requires written protocols for how to accept, return to stock, repackage, label, and redispense drugs, and these protocols must be kept on site and accessible. It also sets rules about when drugs can be redistributed and when they cannot, such as excluding controlled substances and customized medication packages, and it says redistribution must follow specific packaging rules and only occur if the drug remains properly labeled.

Who It Affects

• Incarcerated individuals in Alabama correctional facilities who receive medications and may get redistributed medications returned to stock, subject to safety rules.
• ADOC and any contracted pharmacies, plus the pharmacists and nurses in correctional facilities who manage returns, verify safety, maintain protocols, and redistribute medications.

Key Provisions

• Definitions of terms: Corrections Facility, Customized Patient Medication Package, Repackaging, Unit-Dose Package, Unit-of-Issue Package.
• ADOC pharmacies may accept returned prescription drugs if the drug was dispensed and returned from a facility that meets inspection requirements and is overseen by a registered professional nurse or licensed practical nurse.
• Pharmacists must verify safety factors: no damage or contamination, drug remained under proper control, and labeling/packaging are accurate and intact.
• Written protocols must be developed by the pharmacist in charge for accepting, returning to stock, repackaging, labeling, and redispensing; protocols must be on-site and accessible to on-duty staff.
• Redistribution rules: drugs originally in manufacturer unit-dose or unit-of-issue packaging can be returned to stock and re-dispensed; drugs repackaged into unit-dose or unit-of-issue packaging may be returned to stock but not repackaged; redispensing allowed only in the same packaging and only once; no adding unit-dose drugs to partially used unit-of-issue packages.
• Exclusions: does not apply to controlled substances, customized patient medication packages, non-unit-dose or non-unit-of-issue drugs, or drugs not properly labeled with identity, strength, lot number, and expiration date.
• Effective immediately upon governor's approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Corrections Department