Pennsylvania SB 903: An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for alcohol and other drug addiction continuing education.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 1022
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 903
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY TARTAGLIONE, KANE, COSTA, SANTARSIERO AND SCHWANK,
JUNE 30, 2025
REFERRED TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, JUNE 30, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, providing for alcohol and other drug
addiction continuing education.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 35 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a chapter to read:
CHAPTER 58A
ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG ADDICTION
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Sec.
58A01. Definitions.
58A02. Alcohol and other drug addiction continuing education.
§ 58A01. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Licensee." Any of the following:
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(1) A physician as the term is defined under section 902
of the act of March 20, 2002 (P.L.154, No.13), known as the
Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (Mcare) Act.
(2) A physician assistant as the term is defined in
section 2 of the act of December 20, 1985 (P.L.457, No.112),
known as the Medical Practice Act of 1985, or in section 2 of
the act of October 5, 1978 (P.L.1109, No.261), known as the
Osteopathic Medical Practice Act.
(3) A registered nurse as defined in 49 Pa. Code § 21.1
(relating to definitions).
(4) A certified registered nurse practitioner as the
term is defined in section 2 of the act of May 22, 1951
(P.L.317, No.69), known as The Professional Nursing Law.
(5) An individual licensed to practice as a licensed
practical nurse under the provisions of the act of March 2,
1956 (1955 P.L.1211, No.376), known as the Practical Nurse
Law.
"Licensing boards." The following:
(1) The State Board of Medicine.
(2) The State Board of Nursing.
(3) The State Board of Osteopathic Medicine.
"Warm handoff." The protocol developed by each single county
authority on drugs and alcohol under the Department of Drug and
Alcohol Programs' guidelines that, after medical stabilization,
provides for referral and transfer of individuals from emergency
medical care to specialty substance use disorder treatment.
§ 58A02. Alcohol and other drug addiction continuing education.
(a) Continuing education requirements.--Beginning with
licensure or certification periods that are active on or
commence on November 1, 2025, and maintained for all subsequent
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license or certification renewal periods, each licensing board
shall implement a continuing education program on alcohol and
other drug addiction to be completed by each licensee applying
for license renewal with the respective licensing board. The
continuing education shall consist of no less than 10 hours of
educational material, counted as a portion of the total
continuing education required for renewal, and shall include all
of the following:
(1) Early warning signs of alcohol and other drug
addiction identification and referral skills.
(2) Training on utilization of the Department of Drug
and Alcohol Programs' warm handoff procedures developed and
maintained by each single county authority on drugs and
alcohol.
(3) Appropriate use of support groups for affected
individuals and for the families of affected individuals.
(b) Completion required.--Each licensing board shall require
each licensee applying for a license or certification renewal to
present evidence of completion of the continuing education
specified in subsection (a) as a condition of renewal.
(c) Exemption.--A licensee shall be exempt from the
provisions of this section if any of the following conditions
are met:
(1) The licensee holds a current temporary training
license.
(2) The licensee is retired and only provides care to
immediate family members.
(d) Waiver.--A licensing board may waive all or a portion of
the continuing education requirements specified in subsection
(a) for license or certification renewal to a licensee who
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demonstrates to the satisfaction of the licensing board that the
licensee was unable to complete the requirements due to serious
illness, military service or other demonstrated hardship. A
waiver request shall be made in writing, with appropriate
documentation, and shall include a description of circumstances
sufficient to show why compliance is impossible. The licensing
board shall evaluate each waiver request on a case-by-case
basis. The licensing board shall send written notification of
its approval or denial of a waiver request to the licensee.
(e) Other license renewal requirements.--Nothing in this
chapter shall be construed to remove or alter any continuing
education or other license or certificat