HB375: establishing a committee to study the prescription and use of psychotropic drugs, including Ritalin, in preschools, primary grades, and childcare centers.

HB 375 - AS INTRODUCED

2003 SESSION

03-0189

04/10

HOUSE BILL 375

AN ACT establishing a committee to study the prescription and use of psychotropic drugs, including Ritalin, in preschools, primary grades, and childcare centers.

SPONSORS: Rep. Gile, Merr 38; Rep. Ingbretson, Graf 13; Rep. Grassie, Straf 67; Rep. Gargasz, Hills 46; Rep. Bickford, Straf 68

COMMITTEE: Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

ANALYSIS

This bill establishes a committee to study the prescription and use of psychotropic drugs, including Ritalin, in preschools, primary grades, and childcare centers.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

03-0189

04/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Three

AN ACT establishing a committee to study the prescription and use of psychotropic drugs, including Ritalin, in preschools, primary grades, and childcare centers.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 Purpose. The general court finds that New Hampshire has the highest percentage of elementary school children taking Methylphenidate, better known as Ritalin, in the United States. Ritalin is a stimulant marketed to help students referred to as hyperactive focus on school work in the classroom. Through it is generally considered safe, scientists acknowledge that they do not understand how the drug affects children's developing brains. The drug is not approved for children under 6. But physicians increasingly prescribe it "off label", a worrisome trend with potentially disconcerting effects on young children. Generally Ritalin is regarded as a performance enhancing medication, used to keep children less active in educational settings where curriculum demands may be highly academic and accelerated. Further study is needed to determine the biological or medical reasons for prescribing drugs such as Ritalin to children, ages infant to 8 years and to investigate the research documenting its effects on their development.

2 Committee Established. There is established a committee to study the prescription and use of psychotropic drugs, including Ritalin, in preschools, primary grades, and childcare centers.

3 Membership and Compensation.

I. The members of the committee shall be as follows:

(a) Three members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house.

(b) Three members of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.

II. The committee shall solicit information and advice from the commissioners of the departments of education and health and human services, child psychologists, early childhood specialists or child development specialists who are from the university of New Hampshire, Keene state college, or Plymouth state college, members of the New Hampshire Pediatric Society, members from the Parent Information Center-New Hampshire, members from the New Hampshire Children's Alliance, and any other individual with relevant information or expertise.

III. Members of the committee shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the committee.

4 Duties. The committee shall:

I. Study the extent of the use of psychotropic drugs, including Ritalin, among children 3 to 8 years old.

II. Study where and under what circumstances, including protocols, referrals, and symptoms, psychotropic drugs are prescribed for children ages infant to 8 years.

III. Determine if there are regional or geographic clusters of children on Ritalin and whether any connections exist between the prescription and use of such drugs and a child's gender or socioeconomic status.

IV. Determine the extent to which psychotropic drugs, including Ritalin, are prescribed or used for behavior control purposes or performance enhancement in controlled settings such as preschools and childcare centers.

V. Determine whether the prescription or use of psychotropic drugs results in any long-term effects on preschool children, school children, or children in childcare settings in New Hampshire.

VI. Study any other issue deemed relevant to the committee's purpose.

5 Chairperson; Quorum. The members of the study committee shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting of the committee shall be called by the first-named house member. The first meeting of the committee shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. Four members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.

6 Report. The committee shall report its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the speaker of the house of representatives, the senate president, the house clerk, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2003.

7 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.