Senate committee repeals insulin-price bill after sponsor cites $8 million state cost; emergency clause retained

The Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee voted to repeal Senate Bill 7 after the bill's sponsor said the proposal, although aimed at lowering the "bottom line price" of insulin, would have imposed substantial costs on the state.

Senator Sullivan, who opened by thanking the chair and noting the bill was on the governor's call, told the committee he intended to "repeal my bill" rather than pursue it in its current form. "It was gonna take the bottom line price down for insulin," he said, adding that efforts to leverage the state and work with pharmacy groups had not produced a workable plan. "It ended up the cost would have been about $8,000,000 to the state," Sullivan said, and "the best thing to do is to repeal it and start over." He also said the measure would likely be revisited in 2023.

The sponsor told the committee staff and members he had worked with the governor's office and pharmacy groups and that changes had been tried but did not resolve the budgetary impact. He also noted the committee had "kept the emergency clause in it," meaning the emergency provision was not removed as part of the repeal process described in the hearing.

The chair asked whether anyone in the audience wished to speak for or against Senate Bill 7; no public comment was offered. A motion to pass the sponsor's recommendation was made and seconded. The transcript records a voice vote with members responding "aye" and no recorded opposition; the chair declared the bill passed by the committee.

Senator Sullivan said staff and stakeholders would continue work on the issue and that the sponsor expected to "come back in 2023 and try to do something new." The committee adjourned after completing the item.

Votes at a glance: Committee action on Senate Bill 7 — motion to pass sponsor's repeal recommendation; passed by voice vote with no opposition recorded in the transcript.