Bill > H1606

This bill modifies Massachusetts law regarding law enforcement access to prescription monitoring data by making two key changes. First, it removes the requirement that law enforcement obtain a probable cause warrant before accessing prescription drug records, which previously was mandatory. Second, the bill revises the rules for who can request prescription monitoring data, specifically allowing personnel from the U.S. Attorney's office, federal agencies, the state Attorney General's office, and district attorneys to access this data, but only when the request is directly related to a specific investigation involving controlled substances or drug-related crimes. These changes appear to streamline the process for law enforcement to obtain prescription drug records by reducing the procedural hurdles while still maintaining some restrictions to protect patient privacy. The bill amends Chapter 94C of the Massachusetts General Laws, which governs controlled substances and prescription monitoring.

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https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1606