An Act To Amend the Continuing Education Requirements for Prescribers of Opioid Medication
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0558
Committee: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services
Sponsors: HYMANSON, CLAXTON, GRATWICK
Amends: 32 MRSA §2210, 32 MRSA §2600-C, 32 MRSA §3300-F, 32 MRSA §3657, 32 MRSA §18308

Legislative Document
No. 558
H.P. 402
House of Representatives, February 5, 2019
An Act To Amend the Continuing Education Requirements for 
Prescribers of Opioid Medication
Reference to the Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services 
suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative HYMANSON of York.
Cosponsored by Senators: CLAXTON of Androscoggin, GRATWICK of Penobscot.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  32 MRSA §2210, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 488, §13, is amended 
to read:
4.  Continuing education.  By December 31, 2017, an An individual licensed under 
this chapter must successfully complete 3 hours of continuing education every 2 years on 
the prescription of opioid medication as a condition of prescribing opioid medication.  
After the completion of an initial 3 hours of continuing education, the individual must 
successfully complete one hour of continuing education every 2 years on the prescription 
of opioid medication as a condition of prescribing opioid medication.  The board shall 
adopt rules to implement this subsection.  Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are 
routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 2.  32 MRSA §2600-C, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 488, §17, is 
amended to read:
4.  Continuing education.  By December 31, 2017, an An individual licensed under 
this chapter must successfully complete 3 hours of continuing education every 2 years on 
the prescription of opioid medication as a condition of prescribing opioid medication.  
After the completion of an initial 3 hours of continuing education, the individual must 
successfully complete one hour of continuing education every 2 years on the prescription 
of opioid medication as a condition of prescribing opioid medication.  The board shall 
adopt rules to implement this subsection.  Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are 
routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 3.  32 MRSA §3300-F, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 488, §20, is 
amended to read:
4.  Continuing education.  By December 31, 2017, an An individual licensed under 
this chapter must successfully complete 3 hours of continuing education every 2 years on 
the prescription of opioid medication as a condition of prescribing opioid medication.  
After the completion of an initial 3 hours of continuing education, the individual must 
successfully complete one hour of continuing education every 2 years on the prescription 
of opioid medication as a condition of prescribing opioid medication.  The board shall 
adopt rules to implement this subsection.  Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are 
routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 4.  32 MRSA §3657, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 488, §23, is amended 
to read:
4.  Continuing education.  By December 31, 2017, an An individual licensed under 
this chapter must successfully complete 3 hours of continuing education every 2 years on 
the prescription of opioid medication as a condition of prescribing opioid medication.  
After the completion of an initial 3 hours of continuing education, the individual must 
successfully complete one hour of continuing education every 2 years on the prescription 
of opioid medication as a condition of prescribing opioid medication.  The board shall 
adopt rules to implement this subsection.  Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are 
routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 5.  32 MRSA §18308, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 488, §32, is 
amended to read:
4.  Continuing education.  By December 31, 2017, an An individual licensed under 
this chapter must successfully complete 3 hours of continuing education every 2 years on 
the prescription of opioid medication as a condition of prescribing opioid medication.  
After the completion of an initial 3 hours of continuing education, the individual must 
successfully complete one hour of continuing education every 2 years on the prescription 
of opioid medication as a condition of prescribing opioid medication.  The board shall 
adopt rules to implement this subsection.  Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are 
routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
SUMMARY
This bill will reduce the amount of opioid prescribing education required of 
prescribers from 3 hours per license cycle of 2 years to one hour per license cycle of 2 
years after the licensee has completed an initial 3-hour requirement. It will also require 
the licensing boards to adopt rules consistent with the reduction in the amount of required 
prescribing education.