(a) The Department of Health shall adopt rules pursuant to 3 V.S.A. chapter 25 to facilitate the collection of information regarding compliance with this chapter, including identifying patients who filled prescriptions written pursuant to this chapter. Except as otherwise required by law, information regarding compliance shall be confidential and shall be exempt from public inspection and copying under the Public Records Act.

(b) Beginning in 2018, the Department of Health shall generate and make available to the public a biennial statistical report of the information collected pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, as long as releasing the information complies with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Pub. L. No. 104-191. (Added 2015, No. 27, § 2, eff. May 20, 2015.)