Committee approves expanded pharmacist prescribing authority with amendments

The Committee on House Health and Human Services voted to pass House Bill 26‑76, a measure that permits pharmacists to initiate therapy for specified conditions consistent with their training and education. Committee staff said the bill is intended to expand access to care and was modeled in part on other states’ laws.

Debate focused on scope and safety. Representative Droge said he opposed the bill on principle, warning it expands scope of practice; he nonetheless acknowledged pharmacists’ education, saying he understood ‘‘they are good people, have a great education.’’ Representative Siv Orpiza offered an amendment to prohibit pharmacists from prescribing controlled substances except for medications used to treat opioid use disorder (medication‑assisted treatment); the committee adopted that amendment by voice vote.

Members discussed additional amendments. Representative Gardner’s amendment would allow pharmacists to elect to participate in the health care stabilization fund — aligning prescriber liability options with other prescribers — beginning in 2028; members debated which prescribers currently participate and adopted the change. The committee also adopted an amendment limiting pharmacist‑initiated refills to a 90‑day supply to ensure continuity while patients return to a prescriber.

Supporters argued the changes improve access in rural areas and address primary‑care shortages. Representative Steens and others said pharmacists are well‑placed to handle minor acute conditions and triage patients. Opponents cautioned against unchecked expansion of prescriptive authority and asked for clear limits on controlled substances. Members referenced Idaho’s continuity‑of‑care language and noted coordination with the pharmacy board and pharmacy associations in drafting the controlled‑substance carve‑outs.

The committee approved HB 2676 as amended by voice vote.

What’s next: HB 2676 will move forward with the committee’s amendments. The package includes (1) a controlled‑substances exclusion with a carve‑out for opioid‑use‑disorder medications, (2) a 90‑day refill limit for pharmacist‑initiated refills, and (3) an option to join the health care stabilization fund in 2028.