SB 943 - This act requires practitioners, before an initial opioid prescription and the third in a course of treatment, to consult with the patient as to the risks of taking opioids and alternatives to opioids. The practitioner shall make note of the consultation in the patient's medical record. The provisions of this act shall not apply to those in hospice or palliative care, in a long-term care facility, or receiving treatment for cancer, substance abuse, or opioid dependence. This act is identical to SB 673 (2023) and substantially similar to a provision in SS/SB 830 (2024). SARAH HASKINS