1. (1)

   1. (a) The regulator for each licensed health-care provider, in consultation with the center for research into substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery support strategies created in section 27-80-118, shall promulgate rules that require each licensed health-care provider, as a condition of renewing, reactivating, or reinstating a license on or after October 1, 2022, to complete up to four credit hours of training per licensing cycle in order to demonstrate competency regarding:

      1. (I) Best practices for opioid prescribing, according to the most recent version of the division's guidelines for the safe prescribing and dispensing of opioids;
      2. (II) The potential harm of inappropriately limiting prescriptions to chronic pain patients;
      3. (III) Best practices for prescribing benzodiazepines;
      4. (IV) Recognition of substance use disorders;
      5. (V) Referral of patients with substance use disorders for treatment; and
      6. (VI) The use of the electronic prescription drug monitoring program created in part 4 of article 280 of this title 12.

   2. (b) The rules promulgated by each regulator shall exempt a licensed health-care provider who:

      1. (I) Maintains a national board certification that requires equivalent substance use prevention training; or
      2. (II) Attests to the regulator that the health-care provider does not prescribe opioids.

2. (2) For the purposes of this section, licensed health-care provider includes any of the following providers who are licensed pursuant to this title 12:

   1. (a) A physician;
   2. (b) A physician assistant;
   3. (c) A podiatrist;
   4. (d) A dentist;
   5. (e) An advanced practice registered nurse or certified midwife with prescriptive authority;
   6. (f) An optometrist; and
   7. (g) A veterinarian.

Source: L. 2019: Entire section added, (SB 19-228), ch. 276, p. 2609, § 14, effective October 1. L. 2021: (1)(a) amended, (HB 21-1276), ch. 364, p. 2399, § 8, effective July 1. L. 2022: (1) amended, (SB 22-143), ch. 103, p. 483, § 1, effective August 10. L. 2023: (2) amended, (SB 23-167), ch. 261, p. 1534, § 31, effective May 25.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in HB 21-1276, see section 1 of chapter 364, Session Laws of Colorado 2021.