00                            HOUSE BILL NO. 244                                                                          
01 "An Act establishing the Health Court Task Force; and providing for an effective date."                                 
02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
03    * Section 1.  The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section                         
04 to read:                                                                                                                
05       HEALTH COURT TASK FORCE.  (a)  There is established in the legislative branch                                     
06 of state government the Health Court Task Force.  The taskforce shall consist of 10 members                             
07 as follows:                                                                                                             
08            (1)  one state senator appointed from the majority caucus by the president of                                
09 the senate;                                                                                                             
10            (2)  one state representative appointed from the majority caucus by the speaker                              
11 of the house of representatives;                                                                                        
12            (3)  one member, either a state senator or state representative, appointed by the                            
13 minority leaders of the senate and the house of representatives;                                                        
14            (4)  one member from the executive branch appointed by the governor;                                         
15            (5)  one member from the Department of Law appointed by the governor;                                        

01            (6)  one member of the judicial branch appointed by the chief justice of the                                 
02 supreme court;                                                                                                          
03            (7)  the following members appointed jointly by the president of the senate, the                             
04 speaker of the house of representatives, and the minority leaders of the senate and house of                            
05 representatives:                                                                                                        
06                 (A)  one member representing the health insurance industry;                                             
07                 (B)  one member representing the medical community in the state;                                        
08                 (C)  one member representing health care consumer groups; and                                           
09                 (D)  one attorney member.                                                                               
10       (b)  The members of the task force shall select a chair from among the membership.                                
11 The staff of the members who are legislators shall serve as staff to the task force.                                    
12       (c)  The task force shall                                                                                         
13            (1)  investigate health courts as a way to improve the quality and availability of                           
14 health care and reduce costs to providers and consumers;                                                                
15            (2)  obtain expert advice and information regarding the establishment of state                               
16 health courts;                                                                                                          
17            (3)  identify state and federal measures necessary to create a state health court                            
18 system; and                                                                                                             
19            (4)  develop a strategy for creating and operating a state health court system.                              
20       (d)  The task force shall meet as frequently as its members determine necessary to                                
21 perform its work.  The task force may meet and vote by teleconference.                                                  
22       (e)  The members of the task force identified in (a)(4), (5), (6), and (7) of this section                        
23 are not eligible for compensation, per diem, or travel expenses.                                                        
24       (f)  The task force shall, before January 31, 2006, submit a report to the legislature and                        
25 the governor that provides the findings and recommendations of the task force regarding the                             
26 establishment of a state health court system.                                                                           
27    * Sec. 2.  Section 1 of this Act is repealed February 1, 2006.                                                     
28    * Sec. 3.  The Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).