Senate Bill 92 Passed Out of the House

On Wednesday, Aug. 27, Senate Bill (SB) 92, which requires licensure and certification for pharmacy technicians practicing in Michigan, passed out of the Michigan House of Representatives and returns to the Michigan Senate to be concurred. Once the amendments are concurred in the Senate, the bill will move to the desk of Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder for his signature. MPA will provide additional information to members as the bill moves along in the process. As it reads now, SB 92 will create three categories of licensure: pharmacy technician, temporary and limited.

• To obtain a pharmacy technician license, an individual will need to pass a certification exam and have graduated from high school or passed the GRE. This license will need to be renewed every two years.
• A temporary license applies to individuals preparing to take the certification exam, which is only valid for 210 days and is not renewable.
• The limited license may apply to current pharmacy technicians and serves as the grandfather clause of the bill. These pharmacy technicians will not have to take a certification exam. To obtain the limited license, an individual must submit proof that they acquired at least 1,000 hours of experience practicing as a pharmacy technician at their pharmacy in the two-year period before applying for the license. This license is good for two years and is renewable. However, the limited license is only valid if the pharmacy technician practices at one pharmacy and continues to practice there. As soon as they are no longer employed by that pharmacy or start practicing at a different employment site, they must take a certification exam and apply for the pharmacy technician license.