HB76 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Chris EnglandRepresentative

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

Crimes and offenses, controlled substances, distribution for a medical purpose, further provided, Secs. 20-2-58, 20-2-71 am'd.

Summary

HB 76 tightens Alabama rules for prescribing and dispensing controlled substances to require legitimate medical purpose, strengthens pharmacy record-keeping, and sets penalties for violations.

What This Bill Does

It requires practitioners and pharmacists not to prescribe, administer, or dispense Schedule I–V substances unless there is a legitimate medical purpose in their regular practice. It tightens Schedule II dispensing rules, requiring written prescriptions and allowing certain fax transmissions, with the original prescription reviewed before dispensing. It changes pharmacy record-keeping to require separate inventories/records for certain schedules and sets refill limits for Schedule III–V; it also allows limited emergency dispensing for Schedule II substances in specific situations and requires follow-up written prescriptions. Violations carry criminal penalties, with the act taking effect immediately after the governor signs it.

Who It Affects

• Healthcare providers (physicians, pharmacists, and other prescribers) would must ensure a legitimate medical purpose for Schedule I–V substances and could face criminal penalties for violations; their prescribing and dispensing routines would become more restricted in several scenarios.
• Pharmacies and dispensing facilities (including long-term care, home infusion, and other dispensing sites) would need to adjust inventory and record-keeping, follow stricter prescription transmission rules (including certain fax provisions), and comply with refill and emergency dispensing provisions.

Key Provisions

• Amends 20-2-58 to require that a practitioner or pharmacist may not knowingly prescribe, administer, or dispense a Schedule I–V controlled substance except for a legitimate medical purpose in the practitioner’s regular practice.
• Schedule II prescriptions must be written and signed; transmissions by fax are allowed in defined cases (general transmission to the pharmacy, parenteral/infusion preparations, and LTC facility residents) with the original prescription presented for review.
• Pharmacies must keep inventories and records for Schedules I–II separately from other records; Schedules III–V records must be readily retrievable either separately or within normal records.
• Prescriptions for Schedule III–V shall not be filled or refilled more than six months after the date or more than five times unless renewed by the practitioner.
• Schedule II emergency dispensing is allowed for certain patients (LTC facility residents, hospice, or home health care) for up to 72 hours with a follow-up written prescription within seven days.
• Violations of these provisions are punishable as indicated, with specific penalties for record-keeping violations and general violations, including Class B felonies (and initial Class A misdemeanor for certain first convictions), as applicable.
• The act becomes effective immediately after the governor signs it into law.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Physicians