HCS/HB 635 - This act would allow the state of Missouri to offer the Hepatitis B immunization to every state employee who is determined to be at risk for contracting the infection.

The Department of Health shall provide materials, regarding the disease, to each state department so that a determination can be made if any state employees are at risk for occupational exposure to Hepatitis B. If it is determined that employees of a department are at risk, the department will provide the Department of Health with the number of employees at risk and the Department of Health shall provide materials to these employees regarding occupational exposure to Hepatitis B.

Every department shall determine the number of at-risk employees requesting the Hepatitis B vaccination and shall provide the Hepatitis B vaccine to every identified at-risk employee requesting the vaccine.

The act also requires the Department of Mental Health to develop criteria for locating new methadone treatment programs in the state.

The act also makes various changes to the state's drug laws. A controlled substance analogue shall be treated like a controlled substance under state law (Section 195.022). In effect, the same criminal penalties apply to such analogues. Various new drugs that have been identified in clandestine labs are added to the drug schedules.

Any person who reports information to the Department of Health in good faith shall not be subject to civil damages (Section 195.045).

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH POWERS: The Department of Health may revoke or suspend a practitioner's registration to prescribe drugs if the practitioner has: 1) had his license to practice suspended or revoked; 2) furnished false information in any application; 3) been convicted of a state or federal felony drug law; or 4) has violated any law or regulation pursuant to Sections 195.005 to 195.425, RSMo.

The Department may revoke or suspend a manufacturer's registration to distribute controlled substances if the manufacturer's federal registration has been revoked or suspended.

The Department may place any drugs under seal at the time it revokes or suspends a registration.

RESTRICTIONS ON DOCTORS: This act includes the following restrictions upon doctors: 1) A doctor may not accept a controlled substance from a patient unless the doctor originally dispensed the controlled substance; and 2) A doctor may not prescribe or dispense a controlled substance for himself except in an emergency.

The term "apothecary" is replaced by the term "pharmacist." (Senate Bill 383 language).
CHERYL GRAZIER