Substitute House Bill No. 5225 seeks to prohibit the sale, dispensing, transfer, or delivery of any drug or device intended for use in executing a court-imposed death sentence. The bill amends Section 21a-70 of the general statutes, which will be repealed and replaced with new language effective October 1, 2026. Key insertions include redefinitions of terms such as "Commissioner," "Cosmetic," "Device," and "Distributor" or "wholesaler," along with specific conditions for their operations. Notably, it exempts pharmacies within licensed hospitals from being classified as wholesalers when supplying drugs for immediate patient needs, research, or emergency stock, provided they do not know the drugs will be used for capital punishment. The bill also emphasizes that no person may operate as a manufacturer or wholesaler without a certificate of registration, which must be renewed annually, and introduces penalties for violations.

Additionally, the bill outlines stricter regulations for the dispensing of drugs and devices, particularly in relation to capital punishment. It specifies that applicants for pharmacy registration may be denied if they have previously dispensed drugs with the knowledge they would be used for executions. The bill also invalidates prescription requests for controlled substances intended for execution and expands the grounds for disciplinary actions against pharmacy professionals. Furthermore, it mandates that manufacturers and wholesalers report suspicious orders of controlled substances and comply with all relevant laws. Overall, the bill aims to enhance regulatory oversight and ensure that controlled substances are not used in capital punishment, reinforcing ethical standards in pharmaceutical practices.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 20-613a
GL Joint Favorable Substitute: 20-613a
File No. 186: 20-613a