Bill Text: FL S1234 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Florida Minority Health Council
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2020-03-14 - Died in Health Policy [S1234 Detail]
Download: Florida-2020-S1234-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2020 SB 1234
By Senator Rouson
19-01887-20 20201234__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Florida Minority Health
3 Council; creating s. 381.735, F.S.; creating the
4 council adjunct to the Department of Health for a
5 specified purpose; providing for membership, meetings,
6 and duties of the council; requiring the council to
7 submit annual reports to the Governor and the
8 Legislature by a specified date; providing for the
9 issuance of interim reports at the discretion of the
10 council chair; providing an effective date.
11
12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
13
14 Section 1. Section 381.735, Florida Statutes, is created to
15 read:
16 381.735 Florida Minority Health Council.—
17 (1) CREATION AND PURPOSE.—The Florida Minority Health
18 Council, a council as defined in s. 20.03(7), is created adjunct
19 to the Department of Health to assist in the expansion and
20 development of statewide minority health policies, programs, and
21 concepts and to recommend improvements for such programs and
22 services. The council shall function independently of the
23 department and, unless the council elects to incorporate as a
24 not-for-profit corporation, is assigned to the department for
25 administrative purposes only. The council may elect to become a
26 not-for-profit corporation and, upon such election, the
27 department shall assist the council with its incorporation for
28 the purposes stated in this subsection. Except as otherwise
29 provided in this section, the council shall operate in a manner
30 consistent with s. 20.052.
31 (2) MEMBERS.—
32 (a) The council shall consist of all of the following
33 members:
34 1. The State Surgeon General, or his or her designee, who
35 shall serve as the chair and a nonvoting, ex officio member.
36 2. The director of the Office of Planning and Budgeting, or
37 his or her designee, who shall serve as a nonvoting, ex officio
38 member.
39 3. The Secretary of Children and Families, or his or her
40 designee.
41 4. The Secretary of Health Care Administration, or his or
42 her designee.
43 5. The Commissioner of Education, or his or her designee.
44 6. Six members of the public, to be appointed by the
45 Governor. Such members must have been active in addressing
46 minority health issues or have special knowledge or expertise in
47 that field and, to the extent possible, must equitably represent
48 all geographic areas of this state.
49 7. One member of the Senate, to be appointed by the
50 President of the Senate.
51 8. One member of the House of Representatives, to be
52 appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
53 (b) Members appointed by the Governor, the President of the
54 Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives must be
55 appointed to 4-year terms. However, for the purpose of providing
56 staggered terms, of the Governor’s initial appointments, three
57 members shall serve 2-year terms and three members shall serve
58 4-year terms.
59 (c) Any vacancy on the council must be filled in the same
60 manner as the original appointment, and any member appointed to
61 fill a vacancy occurring because of death, resignation, or
62 ineligibility for membership may serve only for the unexpired
63 term of his or her predecessor. A member is eligible for
64 reappointment.
65 (d) Members of the council shall serve without
66 compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem and
67 travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061.
68 (3) MEETINGS.—
69 (a) The council shall meet at least quarterly and upon the
70 call of the chair.
71 (b) The council may use any method of telecommunication to
72 conduct its meetings.
73 (c) The department shall provide staff and other
74 administrative assistance to the council.
75 (4) DUTIES.—The council shall do all of the following:
76 (a) Gather and analyze information regarding disparities in
77 health status, quality of health care, and access to health care
78 services for minorities in this state.
79 (b) Consult with appropriate entities to advance the
80 understanding of programs to remediate such disparities.
81 (c) Identify any public policies that may encourage such
82 disparities.
83 (d) Gather and analyze information and make recommendations
84 as to whether adequate health care services are available to
85 ensure that the future health care needs of minorities will be
86 met.
87 (e) Develop and implement a comprehensive survey of racial
88 and ethnic minority health care quality, access, and outcomes
89 and publish survey results and evidence-based data.
90 (f) Define state goals and objectives and recommend ideas
91 for pilot projects for reducing such disparities.
92 (g) Recommend to the Governor and the Legislature ways to
93 improve statewide educational programming to address disparities
94 in health status, quality of health care, and access to health
95 care services for minorities in this state.
96 (5) ANNUAL REPORTS.—By December 1 of each year, the council
97 shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations under
98 subsection (4) to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the
99 Speaker of the House of Representatives, the chair of the Senate
100 Health Policy Committee or its successor committee, and the
101 chair of the House Health and Human Services Committee or its
102 successor committee. The council may submit interim reports at
103 the discretion of the chair.
104 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2020.
