South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

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S. 449

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Verdin and Kimbrell
Document Path: SR-0273KM25.docx

Introduced in the Senate on March 13, 2025
Introduced in the House on May 8, 2025
Last Amended on May 13, 2026
Currently residing in the Senate

Summary: Collaborative Practice Agreements

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date Body Action Description with journal page number
3/13/2025 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 3)
3/13/2025 Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs (Senate Journal-page 3)
4/30/2025 Senate Committee report: Favorable Medical Affairs (Senate Journal-page 9)
5/6/2025 Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 58)
5/6/2025 Senate Roll call Ayes-44 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 58)
5/7/2025 Senate Read third time and sent to House (Senate Journal-page 37)
5/8/2025 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 47)
5/8/2025 House Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs (House Journal-page 47)
3/25/2026 House Committee report: Favorable with amendment Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs (House Journal-page 3)
3/26/2026 House Amended (House Journal-page 38)
3/26/2026 House Read second time (House Journal-page 38)
3/26/2026 House Roll call Yeas-108 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 40)
3/26/2026 House Unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative day (House Journal-page 42)
3/27/2026 House Read third time and returned to Senate with amendments (House Journal-page 2)
3/31/2026 Scrivener's error corrected
5/5/2026 Senate Non-concurrence in House amendment (Senate Journal-page 69)
5/13/2026 House House recedes from amendment(s) (House Journal-page 102)
5/13/2026 House Ordered enrolled for ratification (House Journal-page 103)
5/14/2026 Ratified R 138
5/18/2026 Signed By Governor

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

3/13/2025
4/30/2025
3/25/2026
3/26/2026
3/31/2026
5/13/2026

NOTE: THIS IS A TEMPORARY VERSION. THIS DOCUMENT WILL REMAIN IN THIS VERSION UNTIL FINAL APPROVAL BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

(R138, S449)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 40-43-30, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS FOR THE SOUTH CAROLINA PHARMACY PRACTICE ACT, SO AS TO PROVIDE A DEFINITION FOR COLLABORATIVE PRACTICE AGREEMENTS; BY ADDING SECTION 40-43-245 SO AS TO AUTHORIZE PHARMACISTS AND PHYSICIANS TO ENTER INTO COLLABORATIVE PRACTICE AGREEMENTS; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-47-20, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS FOR PHYSICIANS AND MISCELLANEOUS HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, SO AS TO PROVIDE A DEFINITION FOR COLLABORATIVE PRACTICE AGREEMENTS; BY ADDING SECTION 40-47-205 SO AS TO AUTHORIZE PHYSICIANS AND PHARMACISTS TO ENTER INTO COLLABORATIVE PRACTICE AGREEMENTS; AND TO REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD OF PHARMACY AND THE STATE BOARD OF MEDICAL EXAMINERS TO PROMULGATE REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE USE OF COLLABORATIVE PRACTICE AGREEMENTS AND TO PROVIDE THAT COLLABORATIVE PRACTICE AGREEMENTS MAY NOT BE IMPLEMENTED UNTIL AFTER THE REGULATIONS ARE EFFECTIVE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Pharmacy Practice Act, "collaborative practice agreement" defined

SECTION 1.    Section 40-43-30 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

(62) "Collaborative practice agreement" means a written agreement between a pharmacist and a physician, both of whom are licensed and in good standing in this State, actively practicing, and physically located within the geographic boundaries of this State, that sets out a plan to provide evidence-based medication management services and other related patient care services that support the treatment goals established by the physician including, but not limited to, monitoring, education, and assessments for specifically identified patients delegated to the pharmacist by the physician responsible for treating the patients. The pharmacist and the physician must have access to the same electronic medical records system or, if that is not practicable, must develop a HIPAA-compliant method to share written medical records to document regular, secure, and timely communication between the physician and the pharmacist to ensure coordinated patient care.

Pharmacy Practice Act, collaborative practice agreements with physicians authorized

SECTION 2.    Chapter 43, Title 40 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

Section 40-43-245.    Pharmacists are authorized to enter into collaborative practice agreements with physicians.

Medical Practice Act, "collaborative practice agreement" defined

SECTION 3.    Section 40-47-20 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

(60) "Collaborative practice agreement" means a written agreement between a pharmacist and a physician, both of whom are licensed and in good standing in this State, actively practicing, and physically located within the geographic boundaries of this State, that sets out a plan to provide evidence-based medication management services and other related patient care services that support the treatment goals established by the physician including, but not limited to, monitoring, education, and assessments for specifically identified patients delegated to the pharmacist by the physician responsible for treating the patients. The pharmacist and the physician must have access to the same electronic medical records system or, if that is not practicable, must develop a HIPAA-compliant method to share written medical records to document regular, secure, and timely communication between the physician and the pharmacist to ensure coordinated patient care.

Medical Practice Act, collaborative practice agreements with pharmacists authorized

SECTION 4.    Chapter 47, Title 40 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

Section 40-47-205.    Physicians are authorized to enter into collaborative practice agreements with pharmacists.

Regulations and implementation

SECTION 5.    The State Board of Pharmacy and the State Board of Medical Examiners shall each promulgate regulations governing the use of collaborative practice agreements. Collaborative practice agreements may not be implemented until the effective date of the regulations promulgated pursuant to this section.

Time effective

SECTION 6.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 14th day of May, 2026.

______________________________________________________________________

President of the Senate

_____________________________________________________________________

Speaker of the House of Representatives

Approved the _____________ day of _________________________________________2026.

____________________________________________________________________

Governor

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This web page was last updated on May 14, 2026 at 8:29 PM