HB688 (2007) Detail

Establishing the council on the relationship between public health and the environment.


CHAPTER 181

HB 688 – FINAL VERSION

27Mar2007… 0693h

2007 SESSION

07-0355

01/03

HOUSE BILL 688

AN ACT establishing the council on the relationship between public health and the environment.

SPONSORS: Rep. French, Merr 5; Rep. Pilliod, Belk 5; Rep. Miller, Straf 7; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 24

COMMITTEE: Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill establishes the council on the relationship between public health and the environment.

This bill requires the oversight committee on health and human services to review the council every 2 years to determine its effectiveness.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

27Mar2007… 0693h

07-0355

01/03

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seven

AN ACT establishing the council on the relationship between public health and the environment.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

181:1 Statement of Intent. The general court recognizes that there is a need to build on the work done by the New Hampshire Comparative Risk Project to better understand how medical and public health practices relate to environmental exposures. Therefore, the general court hereby establishes the council on the relationship between public health and the environment.

181:2 New Chapter; Council on the Relationship Between Public Health and the Environment. Amend RSA by inserting after chapter 125-O the following new chapter:

CHAPTER 125-P

COUNCIL ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN

PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT

125-P:1 Council Established; Membership; Compensation.

I. A council, to be known as the council on the relationship between public health and the environment, is hereby created and established. The council shall consist of the following members and, to the extent possible, ensure geographic distribution:

(a) Three members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

(b) Two members of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.

(c) A licensed physician knowledgeable in occupational and environmental medicine, appointed by the governor.

(d) A representative of the New Hampshire Public Health Association, appointed by such association.

(e) A representative of the New Hampshire Health Officers Association, appointed by such association.

(f) The commissioner of the department of health and human services, or designee.

(g) The commissioner of the department of environmental services, or designee.

(h) The commissioner of the department of insurance, or designee.

(i) The commissioner of the department of agriculture, markets, and food, or designee.

(j) The commissioner of the department of transportation, or designee.

(k) The commissioner of the department of education, or designee.

(l) A representative of the Foundation for Healthy Communities, appointed by the foundation.

(m) A representative of the Jordan Institute, appointed by the institute.

(n) A representative of the Business and Industry Association of New Hampshire, appointed by the association.

(o) At least one director from a city health department, or designee, appointed by the governor.

(p) Two public health nurses, appointed by the New Hampshire Nurses’ Association.

(q) Additional public members not to exceed 7, representing advocacy, academia, philanthropy, and other professional organizations, all appointed by the governor.

II. Members of the council shall serve without compensation except that legislative members of the council shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the council.

III. Legislative members of the council shall serve a term which is coterminous with their elected office.

IV. The members of the council shall elect a chairperson from among the members.

125-P:2 Duties. The duties of the council shall include, but not be limited to, identifying and addressing the relationship of medical and public health practices to environmental health including indoor and outdoor air pollution, lead and other heavy metals, food contamination, drinking water contamination, radiation, pesticides, and other public health and environmental risks identified by the New Hampshire Comparative Risk Project document entitled “The Report of Ranked Environmental Risks in New Hampshire, 2nd edition, September 2002” or the most recent update of such report.

125-P:3 Report. The council shall make an annual report commencing on January 1, 2009, together with any recommendations, to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, and the governor.

125-P:4 Review. The council shall be reviewed by the oversight committee on health and human services, established in RSA 126-A:13, every 2 years after the effective date of this chapter to determine the effectiveness of the council, including the makeup of the council and the scope of its duties.

181:3 Membership Continued. The membership of the council, established in section 2 of this act, shall reflect, to the extent possible, the membership on the effective date of this act of the commission to study the relationship between public health and the environment established by 2000, 114.

181:4 Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services; Duty Added. Amend RSA 126-A:15, I to read as follows:

I. The committee shall provide legislative oversight of and informational meetings on the programs, policies, and rules of the department of health and human services as brought to its attention by committee members, legislators, department personnel, or others. The committee's work may include, but is not limited to, analyzing the efficacy of selected programs, studying the characteristics of target populations, researching trends affecting program costs and participation, and reviewing alternate approaches to programmatic and administrative concerns. The committee shall monitor the on-going medicaid modernization plan. The committee shall monitor the recommendations of the committee to study the HIV/AIDS service delivery (2005, 47) and determine whether such recommendations have been implemented. The committee shall review the council on the relationship between public health and the environment, established in RSA 125-P:1, every 2 years as provided in RSA 125-P:4. The committee shall provide informational meetings on such topics to the general court. The committee shall maintain communications with the department of health and human services, and any other departments, as necessary to accomplish its work.

181:5 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

Approved: June 18, 2007

Effective: August 17, 2007