Revision: Jan. 17, 2019, 5:23 p.m.
SB 85 - AS INTRODUCED
2019 SESSION
19-0426
01/10
SENATE BILL 85
AN ACT reestablishing the commission to study environmentally-triggered chronic illness.
SPONSORS: Sen. Sherman, Dist 24; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Rep. Murphy, Hills. 21; Rep. Salloway, Straf. 5
COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services
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ANALYSIS
This bill reestablishes the commission to study environmentally-triggered chronic illness.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
19-0426
01/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen
AN ACT reestablishing the commission to study environmentally-triggered chronic illness.
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 reestablishes a commission to study environmentally-triggered chronic illness.
2 New Section; Commission to Study Environmentally-Triggered Chronic Illness Reestablished. Amend RSA 126-A by inserting after section 73 the following new section:
126-A:73-a Commission to Study Environmentally-Triggered Chronic Illness Reestablished.
I. There is established a commission to study environmentally-triggered chronic illness.
II.(a) The members of the commission shall be as follows:
(1) Five members of the house of representatives, 3 of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and 2 of whom shall be appointed by the house minority leader.
(2) Two members of the senate, one of whom shall be a member of the minority party, 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.
(7) An advanced practice registered nurse, appointed by the New Hampshire Nurse Practitioner Association.
(8) A public member, appointed by the president of the senate.
(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.
(11) Collaborating with the National Institutes of Health, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop protocols for the department of health and human services to educate and provide guidelines for physicians and other advanced health care practitioners to identify and evaluate appropriate diagnostic screening tests to assess health effects from exposure to emerging contaminants.
(12) Collaborating with the National Institutes of Health, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop protocols for programs to streamline education and outreach to health care providers about how to implement the guidelines specified in subparagraph (11). The protocols shall include education relative to methods to reduce further exposures and to eliminate the contaminants, if effective methods are available.
(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. Seven members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.
V. The commission shall submit a 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, 2020.
3 Membership of Commission to Study Environmentally-Triggered Chronic Illness. To the extent possible, the membership of the commission to study environmentally-triggered chronic illness reestablished in section 2 of this act shall remain the same as the commission established in RSA 126-A:73.
4 Repeal. RSA 126-A:73-a, relative to the commission to study environmentally-triggered chronic illness, is repealed.
I. Section 4 of this act shall take effect November 1, 2020.
II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.