Senate Bill No. 204

Introduced by Senator Corbett

February 8, 2013

An act to add Section 4076.3 to the Business and Professions Code, relating to pharmacy.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 204, as introduced, Corbett. Prescription drugs: labeling.

The Pharmacy Law provides for the licensure and regulation of pharmacists by the California State Board of Pharmacy. Existing law prohibits a pharmacist from dispensing any prescription unless it is in a specified container that is correctly labeled to include, among other information, the directions for the use of the drug. A violation of the Pharmacy Law is a crime.

This bill would require a pharmacist to use translations of the directions for use in non-English languages published on the board’s Internet Web site, as applicable, when labeling a prescription container. The bill would authorize a pharmacist to translate the directions for use into additional non-English languages if certified translation services are utilized to complete the additional translations. Because a violation of this requirement would be a crime, the bill 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 4076.3 is added to the Business and
Professions Code, to read:

4076.3.  

(a) A pharmacist shall use translations of the directions
for use in non-English languages published on the board’s Internet
Web site, as applicable, when labeling a prescription container
pursuant to Section 4076.

(b) A pharmacist may translate the directions for use into
additional non-English languages if certified translation services
are utilized to complete the additional translations.

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.