CaliforniaAB 15032025-2026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Pharmacy: sunset review: advanced pharmacist practitioner.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

33 provisions identified: 17 benefits, 11 costs, 5 mixed.

More care from your pharmacist

Pharmacists can now do more for you. They can start some prescriptions when they follow the standard of care and have secure access to your records. They can give vaccines to people age 3 and up, furnish FDA‑guided COVID‑19 pills after a positive test, and provide emergency refills when a prescriber is unavailable. You can get up to a 90‑day supply for many noncontrolled drugs and up to a 12‑month supply of self‑administered hormonal contraceptives on request. Certified technicians, under direct pharmacist supervision, can give flu and COVID‑19 shots, collect test specimens, and work off‑site for compounding and vaccinations. Pharmacists can also fill orders from nurse practitioners, physician assistants, certain midwives, naturopathic doctors, and pharmacists acting under specific authority.

Big fines for repeat mail-order pharmacies

The board can fine mail-order pharmacies up to $100,000 per violation after a third similar violation within five years. It waits at least six months before filing unless there was actual harm or serious potential harm. The board weighs mitigating steps and may also take other actions.

Bigger fines for chain pharmacies

The board can fine chain pharmacies for repeated, similar violations within five years. For a third or later violation, fines can be up to $100,000 per violation, or up to $150,000 if caused by a written policy or owner or manager encouragement. The board must follow timing rules and weigh defenses and mitigating factors.

Big fees for compounding and outsourcing

Starting January 1, 2025: sterile compounding pharmacies pay $3,875 to start, $1,065 for a temporary license, and $4,085 each year to renew. Nonresident sterile compounding licenses are $8,500 to start and $8,500 to renew, plus a deposit to cover inspection costs (excess is returned; shortages are billed). In‑state outsourcing facilities pay $25,000 to start and $25,000 to renew; nonresident outsourcing facilities pay $28,500 to start and $28,500 to renew and must also deposit for inspections. Centralized hospital packaging licenses cost $3,815 to start and $2,912 to renew. The board may raise these to listed maximums.

Stronger checks on online drug sales

Internet sellers cannot send prescription drugs or devices into California without a proper prior exam. Violators face civil penalties up to $25,000 per occurrence, and the Attorney General can enforce the law. Tax refunds or lottery winnings can be used to collect unpaid fines.

More privacy for medication abortion

Pharmacists may dispense medication abortion drugs without names on the outer label, using a prescription number instead. The pharmacist must tell the patient when this privacy label is used. Pharmacies must keep a required log. Police can see the log only with a court subpoena, and it cannot be shared with out-of-state parties.

Safer hospital medication lists

Hospitals with more than 100 beds must get a correct medication list for each high-risk patient at admission and at discharge. A trained pharmacy technician or intern may do this only with a quality program and set training and proctoring rules. Hospitals must define who is high risk and set timelines to complete these lists.

Stronger pharmacy leadership and safety

Every pharmacy must name a pharmacist-in-charge (PIC) and notify the board when one starts or leaves (30 days for California licenses, 90 days for nonresident). The PIC can set staffing and pharmacist-to-technician ratios (not above the legal max) to prevent fatigue and errors; a pharmacist on duty may adjust staffing if the PIC is away. The PIC or on-duty pharmacist must report any immediate risk to store management right away and tell the board within 24 hours if it is not fixed. The board can order a stop to risky work for up to 30 days.

Tighter rules for out-of-state pharmacies

Out-of-state pharmacies that ship prescriptions to Californians must hold a California nonresident license and follow California rules. They must keep Californians’ records easy to find and provide a toll-free pharmacist line at least six days and 40 hours each week. Beginning July 1, 2026, they must name a California-licensed pharmacist-in-charge and submit their latest home-state inspection report. They must file annual updates and report changes within 30 days. The board can report violations to other regulators and suspend or cancel registrations; home-state discipline triggers the same in California.

Fee waivers for underserved‑area pharmacies

Beginning January 1, 2025, the Board waives the application fee for a new pharmacy that opens in a medically underserved area. An area is underserved if there is no in‑person community pharmacy within 50 road miles. The Board may also waive the annual renewal fee if you certify you still operate there.

Board of Pharmacy makeup and review

The Board of Pharmacy is a 13-member board. The Governor appoints seven pharmacists and four public members; the Senate Rules Committee and the Assembly Speaker each appoint one public member. At least five pharmacist members must be active practitioners, including one each from hospitals, independent and chain community pharmacies (75+ stores), human drug compounding, and long‑term care, and one must be a union member. Members serve four-year terms with a two‑term limit and may receive per diem and expenses. The board can hire an executive officer and is the main authority on pharmacy practice. These governance rules remain in effect until January 1, 2030 for sunset review.

Pharmacies must report medication errors

Community pharmacies that serve outpatients must report all medication errors to a Board‑approved group within 14 days of discovery. Reports stay confidential and cannot be used alone to discipline a pharmacy. Pharmacies must keep proof of reporting for three years. Out‑of‑state pharmacies report only errors tied to California residents’ prescriptions.

Stronger Board oversight and tech advisory

The Board of Pharmacy has exclusive power to interpret and enforce pharmacy law, investigate, and discipline licensees. The Board must create a Pharmacy Technician Advisory Committee to provide advice, including four technicians, two pharmacists (one a board member), and one public member. Facilities must use a board‑approved self‑assessment form that is posted online to support compliance.

Clear rules for prescriptions and roles

Pharmacist-issued orders count as prescriptions, including oral, written, or electronic orders with required details. The law confirms pharmacists can practice inside or outside a pharmacy and creates the board‑recognized advanced pharmacist practitioner for expanded services. It defines what premises count as a licensed pharmacy and excludes some hospital or clinic storage areas. It defines pharmacy technicians and trainees and who may run approved training programs.

Higher fees for clinics and suppliers

Beginning January 1, 2025, clinic licenses cost $620 to apply and $400 to renew. Veterinary food‑animal drug retailers pay $610 to license, $460 to renew, and $520 for a temporary license. Wholesalers and 3PLs pay $1,000 to apply and to renew each year; a temporary license costs $715. A hypodermic license costs $550 to issue and $400 to renew. Premises record changes also carry fees: $395 for general changes, $206 for name or address fixes, and $250 to change the person in charge. The board can raise each fee to set maximums.

Higher fees for pharmacy licenses

Beginning January 1, 2025, a pharmacy license application costs $750 and a temporary permit costs $1,600. Annual renewal is $1,025. For nonresident pharmacies, the initial license is $2,427 and annual renewal is $1,025. The board can raise these fees up to set maximums (for example, the nonresident license up to $3,424).

Limits on prescribers owning pharmacies

Prescribers and people with shared financial interests with them cannot get or renew a pharmacy license. Narrow exceptions require a written disavowal or turning community property into separate property. If licensed under an exception, the pharmacy cannot fill prescriptions from those prescribers or from prescribers at the same site who own over 10%.

New fees for remote and machine dispensing

Starting January 1, 2025, a remote dispensing site license costs $1,730 to start, $890 for a temporary license, and $1,025 each year to renew. An ADDS license costs $525 to start and $453 to renew. EMSADDS operators pay $150 per machine to start and $200 to renew; moving a machine does not transfer the fee. Correctional clinics pay $620 to start and $400 to renew, and $500 to start and $400 to renew for a clinic ADDS.

Higher fees for nonresident drug shippers

Starting January 1, 2025, nonresident wholesalers and third‑party logistics providers that seek a California license pay $1,000 to apply and $1,000 to renew. The Board can raise those to $1,411. A temporary license costs $715, and can be raised to $1,009.

Advanced pharmacist practitioners begin 2025

Beginning January 1, 2025, pharmacists can earn recognition as advanced pharmacist practitioners (APPs). To qualify, you need an active license and two of three: a relevant certification, an accredited residency with at least 50% direct patient care, or one year of clinical services under a collaborative agreement. APPs can assess patients, order and interpret tests, refer patients, and start, change, or stop drug therapy; they must notify the diagnosing prescriber or document in a shared record, and register with the DEA before changing controlled drugs. The APP application and renewal fee is $300, and the board can raise it to $418. APPs must complete 10 extra hours of continuing education each renewal cycle (the first renewal is exempt) and keep proof for four years.

Stronger pharmacy records and self-checks

Pharmacies and other licensees must keep drug and device records and a current inventory for at least three years on site and ready for inspection. Policies kept electronically must show an audit trail of changes, who made them, and when. Diabetes test device sales and acquisitions must be kept for three years. Owners and officers share legal duty for records with the person in charge. Each site completes a board self‑assessment by July 1 of odd years and within 30 days after key license or manager changes, with written fixes for any “no” answers. Records requested by the board are due in three business days; written extensions up to 14 days are deemed approved if not denied in two business days. Electronic records must be producible during business hours, and the board may grant a written waiver to remove records.

Pharmacy staffing, breaks, and training

The Board must allow pharmacists to take breaks under California labor law. During a short absence, a technician may perform only nondiscretionary tasks and the pharmacist must review that work. Chain pharmacies must have at least one clerk or technician dedicated to pharmacy work, with exceptions before 8 a.m., after 7 p.m., for low‑volume stores, or when the pharmacist signs a waiver for certain hours. If one pharmacist is on duty, no more than three technicians may do nondiscretionary tasks and only one may do expanded tasks, with facility exceptions. Technician trainees can do externships of 120–140 hours, or up to 340 hours with community and hospital rotations, and a pharmacist may supervise only one trainee at a time.

Less criminal risk for managing pharmacists

A pharmacist‑in‑charge, responsible manager, or designated representative‑in‑charge is not criminally responsible for record violations by others if they did not know about them or did not take part.

Possible refund for near-renewal licenses

Beginning January 1, 2025, the Board may waive or refund the extra issuance fee if it issues a license less than 45 days before the next renewal date.

Safer labels and partner privacy

Prescription labels must clearly show the drug name, directions, patient and prescriber names, date, pharmacy info, strength, quantity, and expiration. Outpatient pharmacies include a pill description (color, shape, imprints). For expedited partner therapy, the label may omit the patient name if marked “expedited partner therapy” or “EPT.” Pharmacists have limited liability when furnishing EPT and must give written notice about consultation and drug interactions.

Easier repackaging and patient choice

A pharmacy may repackage your previously dispensed medicine at your request, with full required labeling. Each pharmacy is liable only for its own work in the repackaging chain. When a pharmacist-owner issues a drug order, they must give a full consultation and offer you the choice to fill it at any pharmacy, unless a collaborative practice agreement limits that choice.

Out‑of‑state pharmacies need CA leader

An out‑of‑state pharmacy may not serve California patients if its pharmacist‑in‑charge is not licensed in California. It also may not use a pharmacist whose license was revoked and not reinstated. These rules protect California patients who get medicines from nonresident pharmacies.

Chain pharmacies must post lunch closures

When pharmacist hours do not overlap, the chain pharmacy sets and posts lunch closure times for all pharmacy staff. It also posts how pharmacy staff can file a complaint with the Board of Pharmacy.

License and exam fees for pharmacists

The pharmacist application and exam fee is $260 and can be raised to $285. The license issuance fee is $195 (may rise to $215) and the biennial renewal fee is $450 (may be reduced to $360). Regrading an exam costs $115 and is refunded if an error is found and you pass. Intern license is $175 (up to $245); transferring hours or license verification costs $120 (up to $168). Reissuing a lost or name‑change license is $75 (up to $100). A retired license issuance fee is $50 (up to $100).

New fees for techs and reps

Starting January 1, 2025, a pharmacy technician license costs $120 to issue and $180 to renew (the board may lower renewal to $125). Designated representatives, including 3PL and reverse distributor reps, pay $345 to apply and $388 each year to renew. Veterinary food‑animal drug retailer reps pay the same. Designated paramedics pay $350 to start and $200 every two years.

Cap on CE course review fees

Beginning January 1, 2025, the Board charges up to $40 per course hour to evaluate continuing‑education courses for accreditation. Total cost equals $40 times the hours reviewed.

Key start dates and triggers

The fee schedule section (Section 4400) takes effect January 1, 2025. A separate section (24.5) only takes effect if this law and Senate Bill 418 are both in effect by January 1, 2026, both change the same code section, and this law was enacted after SB 418. If those conditions are met, Section 24.5 applies and Section 24 does not.

Removes outdated pharmacy code sections

The law repeals several older pharmacy code sections (4052.01, 4052.02, 4052.03, 4052.3, 4052.8, 4052.9, and 4119.3). Practice now follows the updated sections in this act and any board regulations. Day-to-day effects depend on the replaced language and the new rules now in force.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Marc Berman
Democratic • House

Cosponsors

Mia Bonta
Democratic • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 204 • No: 5

House vote • 9/10/2025

Item 282 — Assembly AFLOOR

Yes: 63 • No: 2

Senate vote • 9/9/2025

Item 297 — Senate SFLOOR

Yes: 39 • No: 0

legislature vote • 8/29/2025

Vote in CS61

Yes: 7 • No: 0

legislature vote • 8/18/2025