BILL NUMBER: AB 1399	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Richardson

                        FEBRUARY 23, 2007

   An act to add Section 4076.5 to the Business and Professions Code,
relating to pharmacies.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1399, as introduced, Richardson. Pharmacies: prescription
labels.
   The existing Pharmacy Law provides for the licensing and
regulation of the practice of pharmacy by the California State Board
of Pharmacy. Existing law generally makes it a crime to knowingly
violate the Pharmacy Law. The Pharmacy Law prohibits a pharmacist
from dispensing a prescription except in a container that meets the
requirements of state and federal law and is correctly labeled with
specified information, including directions for use of the drug.
   This bill would also require a prescription drug label, upon
request of a blind or visually impaired customer, to be readable by
an assistive technology device for the blind or visually impaired.
Because this bill would impose a new requirement under the Pharmacy
Law, the knowing violation of which would be a crime, it would impose
a state-mandated local program.
   The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
   This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 4076.5 is added to the Business and Professions
Code, to read:
   4076.5.  Upon the request of a customer who is blind or visually
impaired, a pharmacist shall provide a prescription drug label that
is readable by an assistive technology device for the blind or
visually impaired.
  SEC. 2.  No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the
Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the
meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.