
California moves to ease pharmacy staffing limits

California lawmakers are advancing a bill that would ease some of the nation’s strictest pharmacy staffing limits, allowing pharmacists to supervise more technicians at once.
Under Assembly Bill 1503, pharmacists would be permitted to oversee up to three pharmacy technicians, up from the current limit of one. The measure cleared the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee with a unanimous 10-0 vote July 14.
Beyond staffing, the bill includes major changes to pharmacists’ scope of practice, allowing them to independently furnish more medications and adjust drug regimens for chronic conditions. The bill is part of an ongoing effort by lawmakers to modernize California’s pharmacy laws.