HB 263: "An Act establishing the Citizens' Health Advisory Board; and providing for an effective date."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 263 01 "An Act establishing the Citizens' Health Advisory Board; and providing for an 02 effective date." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. AS 18.10 is amended by adding new sections to read: 05 Article 2. Citizens' Health Advisory Board. 06 Sec. 18.10.300. Creation of board; composition. (a) There is created in the 07 Department of Health and Social Services the Citizens' Health Advisory Board. 08 (b) The members of the board are 09 (1) the commissioner of administration or the commissioner's 10 designee; 11 (2) the commissioner of health and social services or the 12 commissioner's designee; 13 (3) the commissioner of commerce, community, and economic 14 development or the commissioner's designee;
01 (4) the commissioner of corrections or the commissioner's designee; 02 (5) the attorney general or the attorney general's designee; 03 (6) the commissioner of environmental conservation or the 04 commissioner's designee; 05 (7) the commissioner of education and early development or the 06 commissioner's designee; 07 (8) the commissioner of public safety or the commissioner's designee; 08 (9) the commissioner of labor and workforce development or the 09 commissioner's designee; 10 (10) 32 persons nominated by all health units or districts established 11 under AS 18.10.010 - 18.10.040 and appointed by the governor as follows: 12 (A) at least one member who represents health insurers; 13 (B) at least three members who represent consumers; 14 (C) at least one member who represents physicians; 15 (D) at least one member who represents for-profit health care 16 providers; 17 (E) at least one member who represents Alaska Native health 18 care providers; 19 (F) at least one member who represents nonprofit health care 20 providers; 21 (G) at least one member who represents private employers; 22 (H) at least one member who represents labor organizations; 23 (I) at least one member who represents local government; 24 (J) at least one member who represents nonprofit health care 25 organizations; and 26 (K) at least one member who represents public health 27 organizations; 28 (11) one legislator from the majority political party of the house of 29 representatives and one legislator who is not from the majority party of the house of 30 representatives selected by the speaker of the house of representatives; and 31 (12) one legislator from the majority political party of the senate and
01 one legislator who is not from the majority political party of the senate selected by the 02 president of the senate. 03 (c) The board shall elect a chair from among its members and may elect other 04 officers at the discretion of the board. 05 (d) The board may employ an administrator to serve as staff to the board. 06 Sec. 18.10.310. Terms of office; compensation. (a) The term of office of a 07 member of the board appointed under AS 18.10.310 is five years. Terms shall be 08 staggered. A member may be selected more than one time or reappointed but may not 09 serve more than two consecutive terms. 10 (b) A vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original selection or 11 appointment. A person selected or appointed to fill a vacancy serves for the unexpired 12 portion of the term. 13 (c) Members of the board appointed under AS 18.10.300(b)(10) serve without 14 compensation but are entitled to per diem and travel expenses. 15 Sec. 18.10.320. Meetings and quorum. A majority of the board members 16 constitutes a quorum for conducting business and exercising the powers of the board. 17 The board shall meet at least four times each year at the call of the chair, at the request 18 of a majority of the members, or at regularly scheduled times as determined by a 19 majority of the members. All meetings of the board and special committees appointed 20 by the board shall be open to the public and include public comment as an agenda 21 item. 22 Sec. 18.10.330. Powers and duties of the board. (a) The board shall develop 23 strategies and recommendations to improve public health and health care and to 24 reduce health care costs for state businesses and residents. The strategies and 25 recommendations must address 26 (1) the establishment of an affordable, effective, and quality health 27 care system; 28 (2) access to affordable health care; 29 (3) individual responsibility for personal health and wellness; 30 (4) disease prevention and management; 31 (5) workforce shortages among health care providers;
01 (6) cost shifting by health care providers caused by insufficient 02 reimbursement or lack of insurance; 03 (7) the need for courts with specialized jurisdiction to consider health 04 issues; 05 (8) improvements in public health; 06 (9) the public availability of health care cost information; and 07 (10) other issues considered appropriate by the board. 08 (b) In carrying out the duties under (a) of this section, the board shall 09 (1) hold public hearings throughout the state; 10 (2) identify the reasons for rising health care costs in the state; 11 (3) obtain advice and information from experts and other interested 12 parties; 13 (4) review actions taken by other states to improve health care and 14 reduce health care costs; and 15 (5) consider past state efforts to improve health care, including the 16 1993 report of the Health Resources and Access Task Force. 17 (c) The board may 18 (1) appoint special committees; 19 (2) request that the commissioner of administration, the commissioner 20 of health and social services, or the commissioner of commerce, community, and 21 economic development employ specialized personnel; a person employed or 22 contracted for at the request of the board shall provide services at the direction of the 23 board; 24 (3) apply for and receive grants and other public and private funds; 25 (4) enter into contracts as necessary to carry out the duties of the 26 board. 27 (d) Before December 1 of each year, the board shall prepare and distribute a 28 report to the legislature, including the results of public outreach conducted under 29 AS 18.10.340, committee findings and recommendations, and the board's 30 recommendations for legislative action. 31 Sec. 18.10.340. Public outreach. (a) The board shall conduct public outreach
01 across the state to assess health care needs and solicit suggestions for improving public 02 health and health care and reducing health care costs. 03 (b) The board may conduct public meetings and electronic surveys and use 04 other appropriate methods for acquiring information under (a) of this section. 05 (c) The board shall consider the results of public outreach before developing 06 strategies and recommendations under AS 18.10.330. 07 Sec. 18.10.350. Definition. In AS 18.10.300 - 18.10.350, "board" means the 08 Citizens' Health Advisory Board. 09 Article 3. General Provisions. 10 Sec. 18.10.900. Definitions. In this chapter, 11 (1) "commissioner" means the commissioner of health and social 12 services; 13 (2) "department" means the Department of Health and Social Services. 14 * Sec. 2. AS 18.10.260 is repealed. 15 * Sec. 3. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 16 read: 17 INITIAL APPOINTMENT OF BOARD MEMBERS. Notwithstanding 18 AS 39.05.055(8) and AS 18.10.310, the members of the Citizens' Health Advisory Board 19 selected under AS 18.10.300(b)(10) shall be initially appointed to terms as follows: 20 (1) 10 members shall serve for four-year terms; 21 (2) 10 members shall serve three-year terms; 22 (3) seven members shall serve two-year terms; and 23 (4) one member shall serve a one-year term. 24 * Sec. 4. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 25 "board" means the Citizens' Health Advisory Board;