A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT study commission.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is created the Health Care Workforce Study Commission ("Commission"). The Commission shall consist of 16 members appointed as follows:
(1)	Four members appointed by the Governor, to include:
a.	One person who is a health care provider or a pharmacist in a rural community.
b.	One person who is a hospital administrator from recommendations provided by the North Carolina Hospital Association.
c.	One person who is a dental care provider.
d.	One person from the Office of Research, Demonstrations, and Rural Health Development of the Department of Health and Human Services.
(2)	Six members appointed by the Speakers of the House of Representatives, to include:
a.	Four members of the House of Representatives.
b.	One person who is a nursing home administrator from recommendations provided by the NC Health Care Facilities Association. 
c.	One person who is a community college president from recommendations provided by the President of the North Carolina Community College System.
(3)	Six members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, to include:
a.	Four members of the Senate.
b.	One person who operates an adult care home from recommendations provided by the NC Association of Long Term Care Facilities.
c.	One person who is a university president from recommendations provided by the President of The University of North Carolina System.
SECTION 2.  The purpose of the Commission is to determine how to increase the number of people available to provide health and dental care in this State.  In undertaking this study, the Commission shall consider the following:
(1)	How to cultivate an interest in health occupations programs at the secondary school level.
(2)	How to address the shortage of adequately prepared health care occupations faculty at community colleges, including designating health care occupation degrees as "high cost" programs and paying health care occupation faculty at a higher rate, designating a salary differential for faculty members who provide clinical or classroom training during evening, night, and weekend shifts, and offering other incentives to encourage masters trained professionals to teach at community colleges.
(3)	How to address the attrition rates for students in health care occupation curriculums in community colleges.
(4)	Resources available to assist community colleges with the purchase of equipment necessary to train students for health care occupations.
(5)	Shortages of faculty at the university level.
(6)	Restoring funding for university level Fast Track programs.
(7)	Whether a curriculum program that offers a baccalaureate degree in respiratory therapy should be established in The University of North Carolina System.
(8)	How to improve current programs responsible for addressing dentist and physician shortages, particularly in the rural parts of the State.
(9)	How to address nursing shortages, taking into consideration the Institute of Medicine's Nursing Task Force recommendations.
(10)	How to address shortages of pharmacists.
SECTION 3.  The Speakers of the House of Representatives shall appoint a cochair, and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall appoint a cochair for the Commission. The Commission may contract for consultant services as provided by G.S. 120‑32.02. Upon approval of the Legislative Services Commission, the Legislative Services Officer shall assign professional and clerical staff to assist in the work of the Commission.  Clerical staff shall be furnished to the Commission through the offices of the House of Representatives and Senate Supervisors of Clerks. The Commission may meet in the Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building upon the approval of the Legislative Services Commission. The Commission, while in discharge of official duties, may exercise all the powers provided under the provisions of G.S. 120‑19 through G.S. 120‑19.4, including the power to request all officers, agents, agencies, and departments of the State to provide any information, data, or documents within their possession, ascertainable from their records, or otherwise available to them, and the power to subpoena witnesses. Members of the Commission shall receive per diem, subsistence, and travel allowances at the rate established in G.S. 120‑3.1, 138‑5, or 138‑6, as appropriate. Vacancies shall be filled by the appointing authority.
SECTION 4.  The Commission shall submit an interim report to the 2005 Regular Session of the 2005 General Assembly that contains its recommendations, legislative proposals, and cost analyses. The Commission shall make a final report to the 2006 Regular Session of the 2005 General Assembly and shall terminate upon the earlier of the filing of its final report or April 30, 2006.
SECTION 5.  From the funds appropriated to the General Assembly, the Legislative Services Commission shall allocate funds for the expenses of the Commission established in this act.
SECTION 6.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2004.