The Illinois House of Representatives advanced a measure Thursday that would create a Prescription Drug Affordability Board in Illinois. 

Senate Bill 3496 established the board to review and set upper payment limits for some prescription drugs in the state.

The measure has been narrowed since it was first introduced, with the number of drugs the board can set upper payment limits for capped to two per year. The board would also sunset after five years.

Read more: Lawmakers relaunch campaign to create Illinois Prescription Drug Affordability Board

The board would be independent and would not fall under the purview of an existing state agency, something that raised concerns for Republican lawmakers, who argued it needed stronger oversight.

Rep. Nabeela Syed (D-Palatine) said the board would file reports with the General Assembly, with the legislature serving as its oversight authority.

Answering questions from Rep. Dan Ugaste (R-St. Charles), Syed said the board would be able to hold closed meetings, particularly as a means to protect proprietary information from drug manufacturers. That information would also not be subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

The measure is similar to one vetoed by Democratic Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger Tuesday, with Ugaste noting that Spanberger's veto message said the boards are expensive undertakings that have been repealed by other states.

Rep. Norine Hammond (R-Macomb) said the measure lacks clarity about how the board will be funded. While the board would eventually be funded through fees on drug manufacturers, it would need an initial appropriation of $750,000, according to Syed. The measure would be subject to appropriation through the state budget.

Hammond also said the legislature should give time for other actions intended to lower drug costs to take effect, such as pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform approved last year.

“It is an unworkable bill, but I'm certain that the [Pritzker] administration is fully aware of that,” she said. “Furthermore, we should allow the reforms that we put in place last year for rebates and PBM reform to work before we put another iron in that fire.”

Syed disagreed, saying Illinois should pursue any means necessary to lower the cost of prescription drugs for residents.

“The reason why I keep fighting for this issue is because when I am knocking on doors in my community, I'm hearing these same stories, as you may be hearing from your constituents, about people rationing their medication, making life-threatening decisions about their health because they can't afford their prescription drug,” Syed said. “I believe we have a mandate to try to do whatever we can to help them.”

The measure was approved 62-39 and now goes back to the Senate for a concurrent vote.