GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1989

S	1 

SENATE BILL 435

Short Title:  Public Health Study Commission.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senator Block.
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Referred to:  Rules.
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March 15, 1989

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO CREATE A STUDY COMMISSION ON PUBLIC HEALTH.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  There is established the Public Health Study Commission, an independent commission, to study public health services in North Carolina and to recommend improvements that will assure that North Carolina has cost-effective, uniform, consistently administered public health services.
Sec. 2.  The Commission shall consist of 17 voting and four nonvoting members.  The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint seven voting members, five of whom shall be House members, one of whom shall be a county commissioner, and one of whom shall be a low-income recipient of public health services.  The President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall appoint seven voting members, five of whom shall be Senators, one of whom shall be a public health director, and one of whom shall be an advocate for low-income people who is familiar with public health services in North Carolina.  The Governor shall appoint three voting members, one of whom shall be the Secretary of Human Resources or a designee, one of whom shall be a physician, and one of whom shall be a business representative who is involved in a local Private Industry Council.  The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall each appoint two nonvoting members who are involved in the administration or funding of public health services.  Initial appointments shall be made within 30 days following adjournment of the 1989 Session of the General Assembly.  Vacancies shall be filled by the official who made the initial appointment using the same criteria as provided by this section.
Sec. 3.  The President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each appoint a cochair of the Commission from their appointees.  The cochairs shall call the first meeting and preside at alternate meetings.
Sec. 4.  The Public Health Study Commission shall examine the need for improvements in the State's public health delivery system and develop legislation to address those needs.  If legislation is enacted directing the Department of Human Resources to develop a Public Health Services Plan, the Commission may receive status reports on the development of the Plan; upon completion of the Plan, the Commission shall receive and review it.
Sec. 5.  The Commission members shall receive no salary for their services but shall receive subsistence and travel expenses and per diem allowances in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 120-3.1, 138-5, and 138-6, as applicable.
Sec. 6.  The Commission may solicit, employ, or contract for professional, technical, or clerical assistance, and may purchase or contract for the materials or services it needs.  Subject to the approval of the Legislative Services Commission, the professional and clerical staff of the Legislative Services Office shall be available to the Commission, and the Commission may meet in the Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building.  With the consent of the Secretary of Human Resources, staff employed by the Department or any of its divisions may be assigned permanently or temporarily to assist the Commission or its staff.
Sec. 7.  Upon request of the Commission or its staff, all State departments and agencies and all local governmental agencies shall furnish the Commission or its staff with any information in their possession or available to them.
Sec. 8.  The Commission shall submit a final written report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the President of the Senate before or upon the convening of the 1991 Session of the General Assembly.  The Commission shall terminate upon the filing of the report.
Sec. 9.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the General Assembly the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) for the 1989-90 fiscal year to implement the provisions of this act.  These funds shall not revert at the end of the 1989-90 fiscal year but shall remain available for the purposes provided in this act until the end of the 1990-91 fiscal year.
Sec. 10.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1989.