Chronic pain/good faith

AN ACT Relating to enacting the good faith pain act; adding a new 1
section to chapter 18.22 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 18.32 2
RCW; adding a new section to chapter 18.57 RCW; adding a new section 3
to chapter 18.64 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 18.71 RCW; 4
adding a new section to chapter 18.71A RCW; adding a new section to 5
chapter 18.79 RCW; creating a new section; and declaring an 6
emergency. 7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:8
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 18.22 9
RCW to read as follows: 10
No podiatric physician and surgeon licensed under this chapter 11
acting in good faith may be subject to criminal or civil liability, 12
or disciplinary action by the board or department for prescribing 13
opioid drugs for legitimate medical purposes in the course of 14
professional practice to a patient with chronic pain who in 15
consultation with their practitioner has deemed an opioid 16
prescription medically appropriate and has signed a written informed 17
consent that is documented in the patient's medical records.18
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 18.32 19
RCW to read as follows: 20
H-0824.1
HOUSE BILL 1638
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representative Caldier
Read first time 01/28/25. Referred to Committee on Health Care &
Wellness.
p. 1 HB 1638
No dentist licensed under this chapter acting in good faith may 1
be subject to criminal or civil liability, or disciplinary action by 2
the commission or department of health for prescribing opioid drugs 3
for legitimate medical purposes in the course of professional 4
practice to a patient with chronic pain who in consultation with 5
their practitioner has deemed an opioid prescription medically 6
appropriate and has signed a written informed consent that is 7
documented in the patient's medical records. 8
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 18.57 9
RCW to read as follows: 10
No osteopathic physician and surgeon licensed under this chapter 11
acting in good faith may be subject to criminal or civil liability, 12
or disciplinary action by the board or department for prescribing 13
opioid drugs for legitimate medical purposes in the course of 14
professional practice to a patient with chronic pain who in 15
consultation with their practitioner has deemed an opioid 16
prescription medically appropriate and has signed a written informed 17
consent that is documented in the patient's medical records.18
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 18.64 19
RCW to read as follows: 20
No pharmacist licensed under this chapter acting in good faith 21
may be subject to criminal or civil liability, or disciplinary action 22
by the commission or department for dispensing prescription opioid 23
drugs, after confirming that a prescription is valid, if the 24
prescription opioid drugs were prescribed for legitimate medical 25
purposes in the course of professional practice to a patient with 26
chronic pain who has presented such a prescription and has been 27
provided with consultation. 28
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 18.71 29
RCW to read as follows: 30
No physician licensed under this chapter acting in good faith may 31
be subject to criminal or civil liability, or disciplinary action by 32
the commission or department of health for prescribing opioid drugs 33
for legitimate medical purposes in the course of professional 34
practice to a patient with chronic pain who in consultation with 35
their practitioner has deemed an opioid prescription medically 36
p. 2 HB 1638
appropriate and has signed a written informed consent that is 1
documented in the patient's medical records. 2
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. A new section is added to chapter 18.71A 3
RCW to read as follows: 4
No physician assistant licensed under this chapter acting in good 5
faith may be subject to criminal or civil liability, or disciplinary 6
action by the commission or department for prescribing opioid drugs 7
for legitimate medical purposes in the course of professional 8
practice to a patient with chronic pain who in consultation with 9
their practitioner has deemed an opioid prescription medically 10
appropriate and has signed a written informed consent that is 11
documented in the patient's medical records. 12
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. A new section is added to chapter 18.79 13
RCW to read as follows: 14
No advanced registered nurse practitioner licensed under this 15
chapter may be subject to criminal or civil liability, or 16
disciplinary action by the commission or department for prescribing 17
opioid drugs for legitimate medical purposes in the course of 18
professional practice to a patient with chronic pain who in 19
consultation with their practitioner has deemed an opioid 20
prescription medically appropriate and has signed a written informed 21
consent that is documented in the patient's medical records.22
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. This act may be known and cited as the 23
good faith pain act.24
NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. This act is necessary for the immediate 25
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of 26
the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes 27
effect immediately.28
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p. 3 HB 1638