Committee members amended HB 1582 to clarify that pharmacists may "prescribe" drugs under collaborative practice agreements rather than merely "implement" therapy, a change the patron said is intended to satisfy DEA terminology and permit pharmacists to prescribe Suboxone in a planned substance‑use clinic in Southwest Virginia.

Delegate Waxman, the bill patron, explained the amendment: the bill already authorized collaborative practice agreements between pharmacists and prescribers, but the Drug Enforcement Administration does not recognize the phrase "implement therapy" for controlled substances. Waxman said the amendment replaces "implement" with "prescribing" and clarifies which licensed prescribers may participate (licensed physician, podiatrist, advanced practice registered nurse or physician assistant). He explained the sponsors had filed a secondary amendment to add podiatrists after an omission was identified.

Waxman said he had letters of support from the local pharmacist involved in the proposed clinic and from the Department of Corrections' director of health services. Committee members asked no follow-up substantive questions, no public opposition was recorded, and members moved and seconded the amended referral; the clerk recorded the referral to the Courts Committee for further review.

The committee did not record an individual roll-call tally for the referral in the available transcript text; the outcome recorded in the hearing was that HB 1582 was referred to the Courts Committee as amended.