Model Bill:
(1) A pharmacy shall notify each person to whom a prescription drug is dispensed that an accessible/translated prescription label is available to the person upon request at no additional cost.
(2) If a person informs the pharmacy that the person identifies as a person who is blind, visually impaired, otherwise print disabled, or limited English proficient the pharmacy shall provide to the person an accessible prescription label affixed to the bottle that is:
(a) Available to the person in a timely manner comparable to other patient wait time and lasting for at least the duration of the prescription; and
(b) Appropriate to the disability, preference and language of the person making the request through use of audible, large print, Braille or translated labels; and
(c) Conforms to the format specific best practices established by the United States Access Board and National CLAS Standards; and
(d) Contains all the label information required by state statute and federal law including cautions, warnings and any information available to sighted, English proficient individuals reading the printed label.
(3) A pharmacy shall ensure that the prescription label is compatible with the prescription reader if a reader is provided.
(4) The requirements of this section do not apply to prescription drugs both dispensed and administered by an institutional pharmacy or correctional institution.
(5) The board of pharmacy shall promulgate regulations necessary to implement this section.
(6) “Prescription reader” means a device that is designed to audibly convey the information contained on the label of a prescription drug.
(7) An "Institutional pharmacy" means a pharmacy that is part of or is operated in conjunction with any of the following health care facilities: hospital, ambulatory surgical facility, nursing home, residential care facility, freestanding rehabilitation facility, hospice care program, home and community-based services provider, residential facility for individuals with mental illness or developmental disabilities, or any similar health care facility.
Laws/Regulations Passed (alphabetical order):
Florida
Board of Pharmacy Regulations 64B16—28.108 (2023) http://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleno.asp?id=64B16-28.108&Section=0
Hawaii
Accessible Prescription Labeling Law HB218 (2023) https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=218&year=2023 SB608 (2023) https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=608&year=2023
Maine
Translation and Interpretation in Hospitals Education Campaign (including pharmacy) LD430 (2023) https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=430&snum=131
Maryland
Accessible Prescription Labeling Law HB456 (2023) https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0456?ys=2023RS SB 0940 (2023) https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/SB0940?ys=2023RS
Nevada
Audible Labeling Law: SB131 (2017) https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/79th2017/Bills/SB/SB131.pd
Dual Language Labeling Law: AB177 (2021) https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/81st2021/Bills/AB/AB177_EN.pdf
Ohio
Board of Pharmacy rules requires a directory of accessibility services. 4729:5-2-05 (2023) Pharmacies shall report the type of language translation services, including translated prescription labels, for patients who are of limited English proficiency; The type of services available for patients who are hard of hearing; and the type of services available for patients with low vision.
Oregon
Audible Labeling Law: HB2935 (2019) https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2019R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB2935/Enrolled
Dual Language Labeling Law: SB698 (2019) https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2019R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB698/Enrolled
Puerto Rico
Audible Labeling Law (2023): https://sutra.oslpr.org/osl/esutra/MedidaReg.aspx?rid=138318Tennessee
Accessible Prescription Labeling Law: SB 1859 (2022) https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/112/Bill/SB1859.pdf HB 1999 (2022) https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/112/Bill/HB1999.pdf Amended (2022) https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/112/Amend/SA0750.pdf
Washington
Dual Language Bills are Sine Die but the Board of Pharmacy, seeing the need, initiated Rulemaking without a law directing them to. HB 1852 (2022) https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2021-22/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/1852.pdf?q=20220107105517/ SB 5840 (2022) https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2021-22/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5840.pdf?q=20220111165813
Virginia
Translated Prescription Label Instructions Study Group. HB2147 (2023) Directs the Board of Pharmacy to convene a work group to evaluate the provision of translation of directions for use of prescriptions. https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+HB2147
Other Bills Introduced (alphabetical order, red indicates active legislation process):
Colorado
Accessible Prescription Labeling Bill HB24-1115 (2024) https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1115
Accessible Prescription Labeling Bill HB20-1090 (2020) https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2020A/bills/2020a_1090_01.pdf
California
Accessible Prescription Labeling Bill -AB1902 (2024) https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1902
Illinois
Accessible Prescription Labeling Bill HB5055 (2024) https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=5505&GAID=17&DocTypeID=HB&SessionID=112&GA=103
Iowa
Accessible Prescription Labeling Bill SF2022 (2024) https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=90&ba=SF2022
Massachusetts
Audible Labeling Bill: S658 (2021) https://legiscan.com/MA/text/S658/id/2371251/Massachusetts-2021-S658-Introduced.pdf
Audible Labeling Bill: S1420 (2021) https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S1420
Audible Labeling Bill: S1252 (2019) https://legiscan.com/MA/text/S1252/id/2365578
Minnesota
Accessible Prescription Labeling SF 2266 (2023) https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=SF2266&version=latest&session=ls93&session_year=2023&session_number=0
Accessible Prescription Labeling HF 2430 (2023) https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF2430&ssn=0&y=2023
Accessible Prescription Labeling SF 4038 (2021) https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=Senate&f=SF4038&ssn=0&y=2021
Accessible Prescription Labeling HF 4481 (2021) https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?f=HF4481&y=2022&ssn=0&b=house
Missouri
Accessible Prescription Labeling HB2750 (2024) https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills241/hlrbillspdf/4401H.01I.pdf
Accessible Prescription Labeling HB 80 (2023) https://www.house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB80&year=2023&code=R
Accessible Prescription Labeling HB 685 (2023) https://www.house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB685&year=2023&code=R
Accessible Prescription Labeling HB 812 (2023) https://www.house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB812&year=2023&code=R
Accessible Prescription Labeling HB 2783 (2022) https://www.house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB2783&year=2022&code=R
Accessible Prescription Labeling HB 2834 (2022) https://www.house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB2834&year=2022&code=R
Nevada
Amendments to Dual
Language Law AB251 (2023) https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/82nd2023/Bill/10012/Overview
Ohio
Audible Labeling and Insurance Coverage Bill: HB 448 (2021) https://search-prod.lis.state.oh.us/solarapi/v1/general_assembly_134/bills/hb448/IN/00/hb448_00_IN?format=pdf
Audible Labeling and Insurance Coverage Bill: HB 214 (2019) https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/133/hb214/documents
Insurance Coverage of Prescription Readers Bill: HB 382 (2024) https://search-prod.lis.state.oh.us/solarapi/v1/general_assembly_135/bills/hb382/IN/00/hb382_00_IN?format=pdf
Oklahoma
Dual Language Bill HB2419 (2023) http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=hb2419&Session=2300
Pennsylvania
Accessible Labeling Bill (2021) https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2021&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=0089
Puerto Rico
Insurance dispensation fee reimbursement PS1190 (2024) - https://sutra.oslpr.org/osl/esutra/medidareg.aspx?rid=143982
Virginia
Accessible Prescription Labeling Bill HB516 (2024) https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?241+sum+HB516
Dual Language Bill HB2147 (2023) https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+HB2147