CHAPTER 224
HB 727-FN – FINAL VERSION
27Mar2007… 0758h
05/10/07 1460s
07Jun2007… 1865eba
2007 SESSION
01/05
HOUSE BILL 727-FN
AN ACT establishing a commission to study health insurance coverage in the construction industry.
SPONSORS: Rep. DeJoie, Merr 11; Rep. Goley, Hills 8; Rep. Holden, Hills 7; Rep. Baroody, Hills 13; Sen. DeVries, Dist 18
COMMITTEE: Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs
This bill establishes a commission to study health insurance coverage in the construction industry.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.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… 0758h
05/10/07 1460s
07Jun2007… 1865eba
07-0956
01/05
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seven
AN ACT establishing a commission to study health insurance coverage in the construction industry.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
224:1 Commission Established. There is established a commission to study current practices in the construction industry relative to employer-provided health insurance.
224:2 Membership and Compensation.
I. The members of the commission shall be as follows:
(a) Two members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
(b) The insurance commissioner, or designee.
(c) The director of the division of charitable trusts, department of justice, or designee.
(d) One member of the health facilities planning and review board, appointed by the board.
(e) A representative of the New Hampshire Local Government Center, appointed by the center.
(f) A representative of the New Hampshire Hospital Association, appointed by the association.
(g) A representative of the New Hampshire Citizens Health Initiative, appointed by such organization.
(h) Two members representing construction contractors, one representing union contractors and one representing non-union contractors, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate.
(i) Two members representing construction workers, one representing union workers and one representing non-union workers, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate.
II. Legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.
224:3 Duties; Methods; Confidentiality.
I.(a) The commission shall study:
(1) Any decreased availability of employer-provided health insurance within the commercial construction sector, as reported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to determine any link between this decrease and the construction procurement policies or practices of public or publicly-funded or regulated entities.
(2) Applicable ordinances, policies, rules, and laws to determine if structural impediments exist.
(3) Whether an unlevel competitive bidding playing field exists within the public or publicly-regulated construction sector in relation to health insurance costs incurred by contractors.
(4) Policy models from other jurisdictions that encourage construction contractors in their efforts to provide worker’s health insurance benefits without sacrificing competitiveness.
(5) Health care cost-shifting and uncompensated care issues related to this sector.
(b) In carrying out its duties, the commission shall consider:
(1) Existing procurement policies and procedures.
(2) Health care facility certificate of need policy.
(3) The community benefit requirements of RSA 7:32.
(4) The records or findings of the study committee established by 2005, 132.
(5) The work of the Citizens Health Initiative.
(6) Any other study related to health care access or health care cost-shifting within the state.
II. The commission shall accept testimony at properly-noticed meetings. The commission shall also seek input from the commissioners of the department of transportation, administrative services and other agencies as appropriate and any other person or entity the commission deems relevant to its study.
III. The commission shall strike any identifying data from the contracts and other records it reviews for the purposes of its study.
224:4 Chairperson; Quorum. The members of the commission shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting of the commission shall be called by the first-named house member. The first meeting of the commission shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. Seven members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.
224:5 Report. The commission shall make an interim report with its findings, including an overview of the data, and any proposals for legislation on or before November 1, 2007, and a final report, including a final overview of the data, together with any proposals for legislation on November 3, 2008 to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the house clerk, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library.
224:6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
Approved: June 25, 2007
Effective: June 25, 2007