WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

H 4382

Nonprescription Ephedrine Products

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Heath Sessions

SC bill requires real-time reporting of ephedrine/pseudoephedrine sales, stop-sale alerts, retailer ID checks, and manufacturer fees to curb meth production.

Effective date 05/19/26
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · H 4382

Summary — H 4382 (mixed record)

Note on the record: The materials provided appear to combine two different bills under the same docket number. One is a Massachusetts local charter amendment (Town of Plainville). The other is a South Carolina statutory amendment concerning nonprescription ephedrine/pseudoephedrine products. Below are clear, separate summaries and the overlapping procedural notes so readers can identify which text applies to which jurisdiction.

A. Massachusetts — “An Act relative to the town charter of the town of Plainville”

  • Purpose: Amend Plainville’s town charter to establish the method for appointing a finance committee.
  • Key provision:
    • Adds language to Section C-2-3 (FINANCE COMMITTEE) specifying that the finance committee shall be appointed by the select board chair, the finance committee chair, and the town moderator; number of members and term lengths are to be set in the town bylaws.
  • Who is affected:
    • Town government of Plainville (select board, town moderator, finance committee, and residents through bylaws).
  • Procedural / timeline details:
    • Filed / Presented: July 29, 2025 (House Docket No. 4969 / House No. 4382) by Rep. Marcus S. Vaughn.
    • Noted as “[Local Approval Received.]”
    • Referred to the committee on Municipalities and Regional Government (record entries: 08/07/2025; Senate concurrence noted 08/11/2025 in the combined record).
  • Impact:
    • Provides a statutory authorization and selection method for a municipal finance committee; operational details left to local bylaws.

B. South Carolina — Amendment to S.C. Code §44‑53‑398 (Nonprescription ephedrine/pseudoephedrine)

  • Purpose: Strengthen controls on sale of nonprescription products containing ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, phenylpropanolamine by requiring real‑time electronic reporting and shifting some data‑system costs to manufacturers; establish penalties for nonpayment/noncompliance.
  • Key provisions:
    • Retailer duties: require government photo ID (with DOB), create electronic log with purchaser info, product and quantity; verify identity and delivery to purchaser.
    • Real‑time reporting: before sale completion, transmit transaction to a data collection system (provided by the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators or successor). The system must generate stop‑sale alerts if federal or state purchase limits would be exceeded (assessing multi‑state data where available).
    • Outage procedure: if the system is temporarily down, retailers may use a written log and must enter that data into the electronic system within three business days; retailers are immune from liability during the outage.
    • Confidentiality and limited immunity: Log data retained by retailers is not a public record; retailers who disclose logs in good faith to law enforcement have civil immunity except for gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
    • Manufacturer fees: beginning October 1, 2025, manufacturers selling these products in the state must pay monthly fees to the data system administrator; that administrator sets fee levels. Manufacturers must produce proof of payment to the State Law Enforcement Division upon request.
    • Penalties: Violations (retailer or manufacturer) are misdemeanors with graduated fines — first offense $500–$1,000; second offense $1,000–$5,000; third or subsequent $5,000–$10,000. (Applies to specified subsections including manufacturer failure to pay fees.)
  • Who is affected:
    • Retailers (pharmacies, stores) — operational compliance obligations and reporting.
    • Manufacturers of nonprescription ephedrine/pseudoephedrine products — new monthly fee obligation and potential fines.
    • Law enforcement and the data system administrator — enforcement and system operation.
    • Consumers — additional ID and recordkeeping at point of sale; possible denial of sale subject to stop‑sale alerts.
  • Procedural / timeline details:
    • Introduced and read first time: April 23, 2025.
    • Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry (record lists 04/23/2025).
    • Hearing scheduled (written testimony only): September 23, 2025, 2:00 PM (per the combined record).
    • Effective date clause: act takes effect upon gubernatorial approval; manufacturer fee requirement begins October 1, 2025 (per text).
  • Impact:
    • Aims to reduce diversion of pseudoephedrine/ephedrine into illicit methamphetamine production via real‑time multi‑state tracking and stop‑sale alerts.
    • Shifts some operating cost burden to manufacturers; may increase compliance administrative costs for retailers and manufacturers.
    • Establishes enforceable penalties to encourage compliance.

If you want, I can:
- Verify the authoritative bill text and jurisdiction for H 4382,
- Produce a side‑by‑side comparison of the compliance requirements for retailers and manufacturers, or
- Draft a short briefing for local officials or manufacturers summarizing implementation steps.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.