[NFBWATlk] possible state legislation on accessible prescription labels

[Marci Carpenter]

Dear colleagues,

 I have exciting news to share. I want to provide some background on this issue and talk about where we go from here.

As you know, having accessible labels on prescription containers is very important to us as blind people. It is vital for us to have accurate information in order to take medications in the way they are prescribed. Over the last few years prescription labels in braille, large print and audio formats have become available to pharmacies from a few companies at no additional cost to patients. Earlier this month the National Federation of the Blind provided model bill language to state affiliates so that we can get legislation requiring accessible prescription labels passed in as many states as possible. We are taking this approach because every state has its own regulations governing pharmacies and prescriptions. Since the model bill language was sent after the Washington state legislature had already begun it’s shorter, 60-day session we were anticipating having a billl ready to file for next year’s longer session. 

About ten days ago I learned that there was a bill introduced in this legislative session which would require pharmacies to provide prescription labels in multiple languages. The state would determine the most commonly spoken languages and pharmacies would be provided with a mechanism for accessing this. The group promoting this legislation expressed an interest in having our model bill language included as an amendment to the original bill. I and a couple other people wrote a proposed amendment using the model bill language and submitted it to the bill sponsor, those promoting the original bill and to Eileen Cody who is one of my representatives and who also chairs the House Health and Wellness Committee. All of these folks want our accessible prescription label language to be included as an amendment to the original bill. All of this happened over a period of about 36 hours. 

Things can move fast in the state legislature, and this issue is moving very fast. I just learned moments ago that our proposed amendment will be introduced during the House Health and Wellness committee’s executive session today. This meeting starts at 1:30 today. There will not be a hearing on amendments today, though. It will be discussed by legislators on the committee and there will be a hearing scheduled later. Rep. Cody and her colleagues are committed to getting the bill with our amendment passed in this legislative session. I have provided links below to HB 1852 and its identical companion SB 5840 in case anyone wants to follow them. Also attached below is the proposed amendment I wrote. Our amendment would require pharmacies to provide accessible prescription labels in braille, large print or audio format according the the needs of the patient. It would include blind, low vision and otherwise print disable people. The language in it still needs some work but we will have time to work on that. We want to make sure that this apples to both physical and mail-order pharmacies, both in-state and out-of-state. Please contact me with any questions you have. I will post updates as things move along.


To read the original bill (without any amendments yet)  and to follow HB 1852
https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1852&Year=2021&Initiative=false <https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1852&Year=2021&Initiative=false>

To follow SB 5840
https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5840&Year=2021&Initiative=false <https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5840&Year=2021&Initiative=false>