1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to health; requiring continuing education for prescribers and dispensers 
1.3 	of controlled substances;amending Minnesota Statutes 2018, sections 147A.24, 
1.4 	subdivision 1; 214.12, by adding a subdivision.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 147A.24, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Amount of education required. Applicants for license renewal must 
1.8 	either meet standards for continuing education through current certification by the National 
1.9 	Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, or its successor agency as approved 
1.10 	by the board, or provide evidence of successful completion of at least 50 contact hours of 
1.11 	continuing education within the two years immediately preceding license renewal. If the 
1.12 	applicant meets continuing education standards through current certification by the National 
1.13 	Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, or its successor agency as approved 
1.14 	by the board, and the applicant has the authority to prescribe or dispense controlled 
1.15 	substances, the applicant must also provide evidence of compliance with section 214.12, 
1.16 	subdivision 6.

1.17 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 214.12, is amended by adding a subdivision to 
1.18 	read:
1.19 		Subd. 6.Opioid prescribing and pain management. (a) Licensees of the Board of 
1.20 	Medical Practice, Board of Dentistry, Board of Nursing, Board of Podiatric Medicine, and 
1.21 	Board of Pharmacy who have the authority to prescribe or dispense controlled substances, 
1.22 	including physician assistants, shall receive two hours of continuing education during each 
1.23 	continuing education cycle that addresses prescription opioids or opioid use disorder. Topics 
2.1 	that satisfy this requirement include proper pain management, the risks associated with 
2.2 	prescription opioids, current evidence-based practices of prescribing and dispensing 
2.3 	prescription opioids, and identifying and treating opioid use disorder and opioid dependence. 
2.4 	A board may adopt rules to implement these requirements. Any rules adopted to implement 
2.5 	the requirements shall be adopted using the exempt procedures in section 14.386, except 
2.6 	that section 14.386, paragraph (b), does not apply. The rules shall become effective upon 
2.7 	publication in the State Register and continue in effect until repealed or superseded by other 
2.8 	law or rule.
2.9 	(b) This subdivision does not limit a health-related licensing board from requiring further 
2.10 	or more specific continuing education on the topics identified in paragraph (a). Any rules 
2.11 	adopted to impose more than the required minimums identified in paragraph (a) shall be 
2.12 	promulgated in accordance with chapter 14.

2.13 	Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
 2.14 	Sections 1 and 2 are effective for continuing education cycles that commence on or after 
2.15 	August 1, 2019.