HB79 Alabama 2023 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Phillip RigsbyRepresentative
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2023
Title: Relating to the Board of Pharmacy; to amend Section 34-23-32 of the Code of Alabama 1975, requiring a manufacturer, bottler, packager, wholesale drug distributor, and other entities in the supply chain for pharmaceutical products to obtain an annual permit from the board; to require each permit holder to designate a representative of the permit holder who would be required to register with the board; and to provide for an additional annual registration fee.
Summary: HB79 would require entities in Alabama's pharmaceutical supply chain to obtain annual permits, designate and register a representative, and pay new fees, with additional requirements on pharmacist staffing and drug-shipping verification.
What This Bill Does
The bill adds an annual permit requirement for manufacturers, bottlers, packagers, repackers, third-party logistics providers, wholesale distributors, private label distributors, outsourcing facilities, and related pharmacy businesses, with set minimum and maximum fees. It also requires each permit holder to designate a representative who must register with the Board of Pharmacy and pay an initial and annual registration fee. In addition, permit holders must employ a full-time licensed pharmacist (with certain wholesale-distributor exemptions) and verify recipients of legend drugs before shipping. It establishes penalties for shipping legend drugs without a permit and for late payments, and sets practical start dates for these requirements.

Who It Affects
Manufacturers, bottlers, packagers, repackagers, third-party logistics providers, wholesale drug distributors, private label distributors, outsourcing facilities, and other pharmacy businesses in the drug supply chain: must obtain annual permits, pay fees, and designate a registered representative.
Permit holders: must employ a full-time licensed pharmacist for on-site operations (with exemptions for some distributors that only ship).
Physicians and medical practices: exempt from these requirements.
Any entity shipping legend drugs: must verify recipients are licensed or hold a registered pharmacy permit and may face penalties for noncompliance.

Key Provisions
Annual permit requirement for specified supply-chain entities; new establishment fee of $500-$2,000; renewal fee $250-$1,000; ownership-transfer fee $500-$2,000.
Permit holders must employ a full-time licensed pharmacist for on-site pharmaceutical operations (exemption for wholesale distributors that only distribute).
Physicians licensed to practice medicine are exempt from these requirements.
Permits due October 31; void if not paid by December 31; renewals due by December 31 with $100 per overdue month penalty for late renewal.
Beginning January 1, 2024, except for outsourcing facilities, permit holders must designate a current representative and register them with the board; initial representative registration fee at least $100; renewal due October 31; annual renewal fee at least $100; late renewal penalty up to $50 per month.
Before shipping legend drugs, holders must verify the recipient is licensed or holds a board-registered permit by contacting the board.
No permit holder shall ship legend drugs into Alabama without a valid permit; civil penalty of $4,000 per violation.
Permit holders shipping legend drugs must provide a list of trading partners upon request.
Shipping legend drugs to someone who no longer holds a registered permit after notice is a misdemeanor.
Secretary issues a permit for each satisfactory application, and the permit must be displayed conspicuously.
Effective date: the first day of the third month after passage and governor’s approval (with specific timing as provided in the act).

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Pharmacy Board, permit holders, required to designate a representative, qualifications, fees