Iowa Pharmacy Practice Act Modernization Bill Passes!

• By: IPA
• On: 04/04/2024 14:57:21
• In: Advocacy
• Comments: 0

For the first time in nearly forty years, the state of Iowa's Pharmacy Practice Act will be updated to reflect the current training and education of Iowa's pharmacists. The Iowa Pharmacy Association's (IPA) legislative priority to modernize the Iowa Pharmacy Practice Act (HF 555) passed the House of Representatives on Wednesday, April 4 on a vote of 87-9, without amendment. The bill now goes to the Governor for her signature to become law!

The bill implements a standard of care regulatory framework and removes burdensome restrictions, aligning pharmacy practice with other practitioners in the state. This model ensures pharmacy practice reflects pharmacists' full education and training.

Last session, IPA introduced HF 555, advancing the bill through the House of Representatives on a vote of 86-10 and unanimously through the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. While the bill did not make it to a full Senate vote in 2023, IPA committed to educating lawmakers throughout the interim and crafting a clarifying amendment. This session, the Senate passed the bill unanimously with that amendment, sending the bill back to the House. The House then passed HF 555 on a vote of 87-9, sending the bill to the Governor.

The last full-scale modernization of Iowa's Pharmacy Practice Act in 1986 took four years of legislative advocacy to become law. Grassroots advocacy from IPA members led to this bill's passage along with support from pharmacy champions in the statehouse.

IPA would like to thank the bill's floor managers, Representative Michael Bergan [R-Decorah] and Senator Jeff Edler [R-State Center] for championing the bill. We also appreciate the support of House and Senate leadership for championing the bill through their respective chambers—with special thanks to House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl, House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, and Senate President Amy Sinclair. Other champions of the bill include Representatives John Forbes [D-Urbandale], John Wills [R-Spirit Lake], Bobby Kaufmann [R-Wilton], Shannon Lundgren [R-Peosta], David Young [R-Van Meter], Anne Meyer [R-Fort Dodge], and Senator Sarah Trone-Garriott [D-Waukee]. Please join us in thanking them for their support of pharmacy!

See the complete timeline of IPA's Practice Act modernization efforts below. To the many pharmacists and IPA members who served on the Practice Act Task Force and participated in open hearings – THANK YOU for being part of this history!