Bill > A3470

Introduced Session

This bill requires the Commissioner of Corrections to ensure that all medications prescribed for inmates prior to incarceration for treatment of chronic conditions are continued while they are incarcerated in a State correctional facility. The bill places similar requirements on county correctional facilities. The bill requires that medication prescribed for chronic conditions be administered to the inmate for a minimum of 30 days after the inmate is committed to the custody of the department or facility. At the end of this period, the department or facility is to resume treatment of the chronic condition in compliance with State law and regulations promulgated by the commissioner. The bill also requires the commissioner and each chief executive officer, warden, or keeper of a county correctional institution to establish a means for providing medication and treatment for chronic conditions, including establishing a screening process and a means of verifying prescriptions. Under the bill, inmates would not be entitled to any medication which has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States as a matter of federal law. For example, inmates would be precluded from receiving medical marijuana while incarcerated. In addition, the bill provides that to the extent possible, a generic substitution of a prescription drug is to be given to an inmate who is provided with medication pursuant to the provisions of the bill. Finally, under the bill, county correctional facilities are not required to provide synthetic opioid drug addiction detoxifiers to inmates unless the facility employs a medical professional who is trained to administer this type of medication.

AI Summary

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Gordon Johnson (D)*, 

Substituted by S384 (3R) (on 06/30/2016)