Bill Text - HB572 (2013)

Establishing a commission to study public-private partnerships for the treatment of abused and neglected children.


Revision: Dec. 31, 2013, midnight

HB 572 – AS INTRODUCED

2013 SESSION

13-0270

05/03

HOUSE BILL 572

AN ACT establishing a commission to study public-private partnerships for the treatment of abused and neglected children.

SPONSORS: Rep. Schlachman, Rock 18; Rep. Gile, Merr 27; Rep. Flockhart, Rock 18; Rep.?DeSimone, Rock 14; Rep. Gargasz, Hills 27; Rep. Grassie, Straf 11; Rep.?J. Johnson, Ches 12; Sen. Stiles, Dist 24; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21

COMMITTEE: Children and Family Law

ANALYSIS

This bill establishes a commission to study public-private partnerships for the treatment of abused and neglected children.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

13-0270

05/03

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Thirteen

AN ACT establishing a commission to study public-private partnerships for the treatment of abused and neglected children.

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

1 New Subdivision; Commission to Study Public-Private Partnerships for the Treatment of Abused and Neglected Children. Amend RSA 169-C by inserting after section 39-i the following new subdivision:

Commission to Study Public-Private Partnerships for the Treatment

of Abused and Neglected Children

169-C:39-j Commission to Study Public-Private Partnerships for the Treatment of Abused and Neglected Children.

I. There is established a commission to study public-private partnerships for the treatment of abused and neglected children.

II. 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) One member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.

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

(d) The director of the division for children, youth, and families, in the department of health and human services, or designee.

(e) The director of the office of Medicaid business and policy in the department of health and human services, or designee.

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

(g) The attorney general, or designee.

(h) The president of the New Hampshire Hospital Association, or designee.

(i) A representative of the New Hampshire Network of Child Advocacy Centers, appointed by that organization.

(j) A New Hampshire board certified child abuse pediatrician, appointed by the governor.

(k) A member of the public, appointed by the governor.

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

IV. The commission shall:

(a) Determine and recommend a stable mechanism, including but not limited to a private-public partnership involving medical insurers, local hospitals, state funding, and enhanced Medicaid reimbursement, to pay for high quality medical examinations and medical care for children who are suspected of experiencing maltreatment as victims of abuse and neglect.

(b) Determine and recommend the criteria for automatic referral for a medical consultation/examination of a child suspected of suffering from abuse or neglect.

(c) Determine whether or not New Hampshire is adequately collecting data on how many children in New Hampshire are mistreated, how many children are raped, and other areas of victimization for which data may not be currently collected in a comprehensive functional manner.

(d) Determine methods for streamlining the payment process so as not to be a barrier for medical care and to decrease the burden of paperwork inherent in the payment system.

V. 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. Four members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.

VI. The commission shall report its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation 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 on or before November 1, 2013.

2 Repeal. RSA 169-C:39-j, relative to the commission to study public-private partnerships for the treatment of abused and neglected children, is repealed.

3 Effective Date.

I. Section 2 of this act shall take effect January 1, 2014.

II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.