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By Ms. Walrath of Stow and Senator Moore, petition of Patricia A. Walrath and Richard T. Moore relative to further revising the membership of the Public Health Council. Rules. |
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PETITION OF:
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In the Year Two Thousand and Seven.
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An Act Further Revising the Membership of the Public Health Council. |
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is forthwith to revise further the membership of the public health council, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health and convenience.
Chapter 58 of the acts of 2006 is hereby amended by striking out section 5 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
Section 5.
Chapter 17 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 3, as
so appearing, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
Section 3. (a) There shall be a public health
council to advise the commissioner of public health and to perform other duties
as required by law. The council shall consist of the commissioner of
public health as chairperson and 14 members appointed for terms of 6 years
under this section. The commissioner may designate 1 of the members
as vice chairperson and may appoint subcommittees or special committees as
needed.
(b) Four of the members shall be appointed by the governor: 1 shall
be appointed from among the chancellor of the University of Massachusetts
Medical School and a list of 3 nominated by said chancellor; 1 shall be
appointed from among the dean of the University of Massachusetts Amherst School
of Public Health or Health Sciences and a list of 3 nominated by said
dean; 1 shall be appointed from among the heads of the non-public schools
of medicine in the commonwealth or their nominees; and 1 shall be appointed
from among the heads of the non-public schools or programs in public health in
the commonwealth or their nominees.
(c) Four of the appointed members shall be providers of health
services, appointed by the governor: 1 of whom shall have expertise in acute
care hospital management; 1 of whom shall have expertise in long term care
management; 1 of whom shall have expertise in home or community-based care
management, and 1 of whom shall have expertise in the practice of primary care
medicine or public health nursing.
(d) Six of the appointed members shall be non-providers: 1 shall be
appointed by the secretary of elder affairs; 1 shall be appointed by the
secretary of veterans' services; 1 shall be appointed by the governor from a
list of 3 nominated by Health Care For All, Inc.; 1 shall be appointed by the
governor from a list of 3 nominated by the Coalition for the Prevention of
Medical Errors, Inc.; 1 shall be appointed by the governor from a list of 3
nominated by the Massachusetts Public Health Association; and 1 shall be
appointed by the governor from a list of 3 nominated by the Massachusetts
Community Health Worker Network. Whenever an organization nominates a
list of candidates for appointment by the governor under this subsection, the
organization may nominate additional candidates if the governor declines to
appoint any of those originally nominated.
(e) For purposes of this section, "non-provider" shall
mean a person whose background and experience indicate that he is qualified to
act on the council in the public interest; who, and whose spouse, parents,
siblings or children, have no financial interest in a health care facility;
who, and whose spouse has no employment relationship to a health care facility,
to a nonprofit service corporation established under chapters 176A to 176E,
inclusive, or to a corporation authorized to insure the health of individuals;
and who, and whose spouse, is not licensed to practice medicine.
(f) Upon the expiration of the term of office of an appointive
member, his successor shall be appointed in the same manner as the original
appointment, for a term of 6 years and until the qualification of his
successor. The members shall be appointed not later than 60 days
after a vacancy. The council shall meet at least once a month, and
at such other times as it shall determine by its rules, or when requested by
the commissioner or any 4 members. The appointive members shall
receive $100 per day that the council meets, and their reasonably necessary traveling
expenses while in the performance of their official duties.