States and Status of Legislation Protecting CPP's and Providers:

• Arizona  - Signed into law
• Colorado  - Signed into law
• Illinois HB 2046 - In Committee
• Minnesota  - Signed into law
• New Hampshire - Signed into Law
• Oklahoma Bill SB57 - Signed into Law
• Rhode Island Bill 384 - Signed into Law

Please join Arizona's Don't Punish Pain Rally page to network with other CPP advocates from Arizona

In April of 2022, Arizona passed a law, Bill SB1162,  protecting pain patients. 

Dr. Jeffrey Singer testified if favor of the bill

Governor Doug Ducey Signs SB1162 into Law Helping Arizonians with Chronic Intractable Pain Get the Treatment They Need

Senator Nancy Barto introduced Arizona SB1162 in January 2022. This new law will give protections to chronic intractable pain patients in Arizona. This amendment to ARS Section 32-3248.01, will improve access to care, give physicians the ability to treat their patients as medically appropriate, and confirm that providers and their state governing boards have oversight on the proper treatment for these patients.

Please join New Hampshire's Don't Punish Pain Rally Facebook page to network with other advocates from NH.

New Hampshire’s Bill, HB1639, was signed by Governor Sununu in August of 2020. It was originally created as a separate bill, SB 546, but was later added to Omnibus Bill HB1639. 

The bill was created and passed with the amazing efforts of Bill Murphy, CPP advocate and original member of Don't Punish Pain Rally. When the bill was signed into law, Bill Murphy created this tweet: 

"New Hampshire’s Bill, HB1639, has been signed by Governor Sununu. This Bill addresses the “Treatment of Chronic Pain”. Key sections of this legislation are attached"

On June 2, 2021, Rhode Island's Governor Dan McKee signed Bill 384 into law. A copy of the bill can also be found here. Greg Amore, Claudia Merandi's local Representative, fought hard for this bill to pass which protects intractable pain patients from the 2016 CDC Opioid Guidelines. Recently, in March 2022, Arizona also passed legislation that was based on this bill from Rhode Island. That has been Claudia's hope for years, that she could pass a bill in Rhode Island that would trickle down into other states. Practical Pain Management covered this story.

In 2023, Senate Bill 793 Senate Bill 793passed in Rhode Island. This is an extremely important bill because it protects providers. 

Please join Rhode Island's Don't Punish Rally Facebook page to network with other CPP's in Rhode Island.