Bill Text: FL S1546 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Florida Minority Health Council

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2019-05-03 - Died in Health Policy [S1546 Detail]

Download: Florida-2019-S1546-Introduced.html

---

       Florida Senate - 2019                                    SB 1546
       
       
        
       By Senator Rouson
       
       
       
       
       
       19-01738-19                                           20191546__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Florida Minority Health
    3         Council; creating s. 381.73535, F.S.; creating the
    4         Florida Minority Health Council adjunct to the
    5         Department of Health; providing for membership of the
    6         council; providing for terms of appointment; providing
    7         for payment of per diem and travel expenses; providing
    8         duties of the council; requiring that the council
    9         annually submit a report and recommendations to the
   10         Governor and the Legislature by a specified date;
   11         providing an effective date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Section 381.73535, Florida Statutes, is created
   16  to read:
   17         381.73535 Florida Minority Health Council.—
   18         (1)(a) The Florida Minority Health Council, an advisory
   19  council as defined in s. 20.03(7), is created adjunct to the
   20  Department of Health. Except as otherwise provided in this
   21  section, the committee shall operate in a manner consistent with
   22  s. 20.052. The State Surgeon General and the director of the
   23  Office of Planning and Budgeting or their designees shall serve
   24  as nonvoting, ex officio members. The State Surgeon General, or
   25  his or her designee, shall serve as chair of, and the department
   26  shall provide staff and other administrative assistance for, the
   27  council.
   28         (b) The following three state officials also shall serve on
   29  the council:
   30         1. The Secretary of Children and Families, or his or her
   31  designee.
   32         2. The Secretary of Health Care Administration, or his or
   33  her designee.
   34         3. The Commissioner of Education, or his or her designee.
   35         (c) The Governor shall appoint to the council six members
   36  of the public who have been active in addressing minority health
   37  issues or who have special knowledge or expertise in that field.
   38  The members appointed by the Governor must, to the extent
   39  possible, equitably represent all geographic areas of the state.
   40         (d) The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
   41  House of Representatives each shall appoint a member of his or
   42  her respective chamber to the council.
   43         (e) Members appointed by the Governor, the President of the
   44  Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be
   45  appointed to 4-year terms. However, for the purpose of providing
   46  staggered terms, of the Governor’s initial appointments, three
   47  members shall serve 2-year terms and three members shall serve
   48  4-year terms.
   49         (2)(a) Any vacancy on the council shall be filled in the
   50  same manner as the original appointment, and any member
   51  appointed to fill a vacancy occurring because of death,
   52  resignation, or ineligibility for membership shall serve only
   53  for the unexpired term of the member’s predecessor. A member is
   54  eligible for reappointment.
   55         (b) Members of the council shall serve without
   56  compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and
   57  travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061.
   58         (c) The council shall meet at least quarterly upon the call
   59  of the chairperson.
   60         (3) The council shall:
   61         (a) Gather and analyze information regarding disparities in
   62  health status, quality of health care, and access to health care
   63  services for minorities in this state.
   64         (b) Consult with appropriate entities to advance the
   65  understanding of programs to remediate such disparities.
   66         (c) Identify any public policies that may encourage such
   67  disparities.
   68         (d) Gather and analyze information and make recommendations
   69  as to whether adequate health care services are available to
   70  ensure that the future health care needs of minorities will be
   71  met.
   72         (e) Develop and implement a comprehensive survey of racial
   73  and ethnic minority health care quality, access, and outcomes
   74  and publish survey results and evidence-based data.
   75         (f) Define state goals and objectives, and recommend ideas
   76  for pilot projects for reducing such disparities.
   77         (g) Recommend to the Governor and the Legislature ways to
   78  improve statewide educational programming to address disparities
   79  in health status, quality of health care, and access to health
   80  care services for minorities in this state.
   81         (4) The council shall submit a report to the Governor; the
   82  President of the Senate; the Senate Health Policy Committee, or
   83  its successor committee; the Speaker of the House of
   84  Representatives; and the House Health and Human Services
   85  Committee, or its successor committee, by December 1 of each
   86  year which contains a summary of the work of the council during
   87  that year and the recommendations required under subsection (3).
   88  Interim reports may be submitted at the discretion of the
   89  council chair.
   90         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2019.