Bill Text - HB511 (2017)

(New Title) establishing a commission to study environmentally-triggered chronic illness.


Revision: Jan. 26, 2017, 3:48 p.m.

HB 511 - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2017 SESSION

17-0597

01/10

 

HOUSE BILL 511

 

AN ACT establishing a commission to study creating a public health oversight program.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Messmer, Rock. 24; Rep. Bean, Rock. 21; Rep. Malloy, Rock. 23; Rep. T. Le, Rock. 31; Rep. R. Tilton, Rock. 37; Rep. H. Marsh, Rock. 22; Rep. Cushing, Rock. 21; Rep. P. Gordon, Rock. 29; Sen. Feltes, Dist 15; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Bradley, Dist 3

 

COMMITTEE: Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill establishes a commission to study creating a public health oversight program within the department of health and human services.

 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

17-0597

01/10

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seventeen

 

AN ACT establishing a commission to study creating a public health oversight program.

 

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

 

1  Statement of Intent.  The general court recognizes that nearly half of adults in the United States have at least one chronic health condition and chronic diseases are responsible for increased health care costs.  Seventy percent of health care costs in the United States are for chronic diseases.  Some chronic diseases are known or thought to be associated with environmental causes.  Therefore, the general court hereby establishes a commission to assess what data sources can be used to create a public health oversight program to monitor chronic conditions and other health-related impacts.  The program to be created shall monitor the program data and assess whether chronic conditions or other health-related impacts suggest an environmental trigger.

2  New Subdivision; Commission to Study Creating a Public Health Oversight Program.  Amend RSA 126-A by inserting after section 72 the following new subdivision:

Commission to Study Creating a Public Health Oversight Program

126-A:73  Commission to Study Creating a Public Health Oversight Program Established.

I.  There is established a commission to study creating a public health oversight program within the department of health and human services.

II.(a)  The members of the commission shall be as follows:

(1)  Five members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

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

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

(4)  The director of the university of New Hampshire institute for health policy and practice, or designee.

(5)  A representative from the New Hampshire Medical Society, appointed by the society.

(6)  The chair of the board of trustees of the New Hampshire Hospital Association, or designee.

(b)  Legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.

III.(a)  The commission's study shall include, but not be limited to:

(1)  Determining which entities may report confirmed cases of chronic conditions or other health-related impacts to the public health oversight program.

(2)  Recommending ways to alert public health officials regarding higher than expected rates of chronic disease or other health-related impacts which may be related to exposures of unrecognized environmental contaminants.

(3)  Recommending a method to inform citizens regarding programs designed to manage chronic disease or other environmental exposure health-related impacts.

(4)  Recommending data sources and a method to include data compiled by a public or private entity to the greatest extent possible in the development of the public health oversight program.

(5)  Defining by codes, the health status indicators to be monitored, including chronic conditions, medical conditions, and poor health outcomes.

(6)  Studying current health databases, including years available, potential for small area analysis, and privacy concerns.

(7)  Researching currently existing health data reports by agency, bureau, or organization.

(8)  Creating a model of desired data outputs and reports for chronic conditions and other health-related impacts.

(9)  Identifying the gaps between what currently exists and the model output.

(10)  Recommending the organizational structure responsible for the oversight function and mandatory reporting requirements.

(b)  The commission shall solicit information from any person or entity the commission deems relevant to its study.

IV.  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.  Five members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.

V.  The commission shall make an interim report of its findings on November 1, 2017 and a final report of 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, 2018.

3  Repeal.  RSA 126-A:73, relative to the commission to study creating a public health oversight program, is repealed.

4  Effective Date.

I.  Section 3 of this act shall take effect November 1, 2018.

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