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.