Snyder signs pharmacy, consumer protection, local gov't bills

On Wednesday, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder signed legislation that updates pharmacy safety standards and strengthens oversight. The bills are a result of a 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak from contaminated steroid injections distributed by the New England Compounding Center in Massachusetts. More than 260 Michigan patients were affected by the outbreak including 22 deaths. The compounding center was only licensed as a compounding facility but acted as a drug manufacturer which contributed to the contamination of the injections. "These bills will help establish additional safeguards between patients and pharmacists helping ensure Michiganders remain safe and healthy," Snyder said. "Consumers need and deserve to have confidence in any product they receive, especially medical ones. These changes put patient safety first and are designed to help prevent future tragedies." Senate Bill 704, sponsored by state Sen. Joe Hune, provides safeguards for Michigan patients and pharmacy customers. The bill ensures that pharmacies are operating under their scope of service and requires each pharmacy to have a licensed "pharmacist-in-charge" who is responsible for ensuring the facility follows state laws and regulations. It also requires compounding pharmacies to maintain accurate records for all compounded drug sales including the name of the person who prepared and approved the compound. Pharmacies, manufacturers and wholesalers engaged in compounding must submit to at least one state inspection every two years. SB 904, also sponsored by Hune, establishes felony and penalty provisions for violations of SB 704. Violations that cause personal injury, serious impairment of a bodily function or death can result in four to 15 years' imprisonment. "We owe it to the hundreds of Michigan victims of the NECC meningitis tragedy to ensure a disaster of this magnitude does not strike twice," said Attorney General Bill Schuette. "This legislation signed by Governor Snyder today will hold every compounding pharmacy responsible for the drugs they distribute and ensure pharmacists always put patient safety first." The bills are now Public Acts 280 and 279 of 2014, respectively. The governor also signed 11 other bills: SB 153, sponsored by state Sen. Morris Hood, allows the Wayne County clerk to designate a fellow Wayne County employee to assist in the solemnization of county marriages. Previously, only a county with a population of more than 2 million was able to designate an additional employee. The bill lowers the population requirement to 1.5 million to assist with high marriage demands. It is now PA 278. SB 327, sponsored by state Sen. David Robertson, requires the Department of Treasury and outside auditors to follow taxpayer bill of rights provisions within the Revenue Act. The bill also prohibits Treasury from using collection goals in unclaimed property audits and creates standards for the courteous treatment of taxpayers. It is now PA 277. SB 535, sponsored by state Sen. John Proos, helps to prevent illegal production of methamphetamine. The bill establishes the Methamphetamine Abuse Reporting Act and calls for the creation of a record within the current National Precursor Log Exchange (NPLEx) consisting of methamphetamine-related offenses. The record must be kept up to date with offenders' background and conviction information. Individuals on the record will be stopped from purchasing pseudoephedrine as it is a common element used in methamphetamine production. It is now PA 276. SB 756, also sponsored by Proos, generates a stop-sale alert system in accordance with SB 535. If an individual with previous methamphetamine-related convictions attempts to purchase ephedrine or pseudoephedrine the sales clerk will be notified that the person is prohibited from making the purchase. If the clerk completes the sale it would result in a violation of quantity limits for the sale of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine. It is now PA 275. Both bills are part of a package signed earlier by the governor. SB 536, sponsored by Proos, allows local units of government to exempt nonprofit organizations whose primary purpose is to foster economic development of property from property taxes for up to seven years. A resolution detailing the agreement must be drafted and kept on record to grant the exemption. It is now PA 274. SB 611, sponsored by state Sen. Mike Kowall, allows local convention and tourism bureaus to recover reasonable attorney fees and court costs that are incurred when collecting delinquent assessments. It is now PA 273. SB 678, sponsored by state Sen. Roger Kahn, provides a permanent funding source for the Michigan State Capitol Historic Site Fund. The bill uses $3 million annually from tobacco product taxes beginning in 2014-2015 and will adjust with the rate of inflation. It is now PA 272. SB 715, sponsored by state Sen. Tom Casperson, prohibits the issuance of certificates of insurance that contain false or misleading information related to a change in coverage. Violations can result in the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services issuing a cease and desist order and requesting payment of a fine. It is now PA 271. SB 846, sponsored by state Sen. Dave Hildenbrand, allows townships and villages to obtain on-premises liquor licenses for use in redevelopment areas. The applicant is required to secure the license from the county where the business will be located rather than their local unit of government. It is now PA 270. SB 853, sponsored by state Sen. Rick Jones, prevents the sale of contact lenses and eye glasses without a valid prescription from a licensed prescriber. The bill also prohibits kiosks that perform automated eye exams and then issue prescriptions bringing state law in line with federal regulation. It is now PA 269. SB 900, sponsored by state Sen. Jack Brandenburg, allows the workers compensation insurance system to grant certain reimbursements after the deadline has passed. The bill allows reimbursement for certain benefits paid prior to Jan. 1, 2012, and allows the director to accept applications for reimbursement beyond a previously established one-year deadline. It is now PA 268. The governor also vetoed four bills: SBs 481 and 484 sponsored by state Sen. Mark Jansen and House Bills 4379 and 4380, sponsored by state Rep. Hugh Crawford, would have dissolved the state foresters registry. This was a recommendation from the Office of Regulatory Reform (ORR). While the Governor agreed with ORR in the need for reform of the registry, he disagreed with its total elimination. "Michigan has over 4 million acres of public forest land and professional foresters are an important part of our state's forest economy. Their expertise help guide decisions regarding harvest, proper management and pest control," Snyder said. "I encourage the Legislature to resubmit the bills after working with the Department of Natural Resources to develop a system that modernizes and elevates Michigan's regulatory system for professional forestry. For more information, visit legislature.michigan.gov. Published: Fri, Jul 04, 2014