Constitution Day is coming up on September 17th. Constitution Day is a federal observance that commemorates the U. S. Constitution. Constitution Day was established by law in 2004 and observed on the day the Constitution was signed in 1787. The Constitution:

• Creates a government that puts the power in the hands of the people.
• Separates the powers of government into three branches: the legislative branch, which makes the laws; the executive branch, which executes the laws; and the judicial branch, which interprets the laws.
• Sets up a system of checks and balances that ensures no one branch has too much power.
• Divides power between the states and the federal government.
• Describes the purposes and duties of the government.
• Defines the scope and limit of government power.
• Prescribes the system for electing representatives.
• Establishes the process for the document’s ratification and amendment.
• Outlines many rights and freedoms of the people.
  (Taken from “Constituition FAQs”. https://constitutioncenter.org/education/constitution-faqs. National Constitution Center – constitutioncenter.org. 6 September, 2023.)

This week I would like to continue sharing with you portions of LB227 which was the Health and Human Services Committee priority bill.

• LB181 specifies that a prescription remains valid despite the prescribing practitioner’s subsequent death or retirement, or their suspension or revocation of the prescribing practitioner’s credential, and allows a pharmacist to use their professional judgment to fill or refill a prescription which has sufficient fills remaining.
• LB202 allows certified and trained pharmacy technicians to administer vaccines to individuals over 3 years of age if the vaccine is verified by a supervising pharmacist on site.
• LB458 allows a pharmacy to deliver to a patient on behalf of a dispensing pharmacy if both pharmacies are under common ownership.
• LB548 removes a requirement that a pharmacist licensure applicant obtain a grade of 75 on the pharmacy jurisprudence examination and requires anyone authorized to compound to comply with the U. S. Pharmacopeia and the National Formulary existing on January 1, 2023.
• LB611 changes drug administration requirements for a hospital, ambulatory surgical center, or health care practitioner facility to allow any unused portion of a certain topical medication to be offered to a patient upon discharge if required for continued treatment.
• LB35 extends the sunset date for transitional child care assistance under the federal Child Care Subsidy program and cash assistance to families who have not achieved economic self-sufficiency to October 1, 2026.
• LB586 requires the Nebraska Center for Nursing Board to provide for the expansion of clinical training sites for nurses throughout the state. Preference shall be given to areas that have lower numbers of registered nurses per capita compared to the state average. It is the intent of the Legislature to appropriate funds in the amount of $3 million from the General Fund for the next two fiscal years.
• LB431 authorizes the Nebraska State Patrol to submit health professional licensure applicants’ fingerprints to the F. B. I. for national criminal history record information checks.
• LB572 updates the Medical Nutrition Therapy Act by making terminology consistent and providing a pathway to licensure for certified nutrition specialists.

As always, I invite you to let me know your thoughts, ideas, concerns, or suggestions by calling my office at (402) 471-2716 or emailing me at jalbrecht@leg.ne.gov.