Florida Senate - 2016 SB 378 By Senator Bean 4-00256A-16 2016378__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to a cardiac advisory council for 3 children’s services councils; creating s. 391.224, 4 F.S.; requiring the Department of Health to appoint a 5 cardiac advisory council for specified purposes; 6 specifying the duties and composition of the council; 7 providing appointments and term limits for the 8 council; prohibiting an employee of the department 9 from serving on the council; prohibiting council 10 members from receiving compensation; providing an 11 exception for per diem and travel expenses; requiring 12 council meetings to be conducted by teleconference 13 where that capability is available; providing an 14 effective date. 15 16 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 17 18 Section 1. Section 391.224, Florida Statutes, is created to 19 read: 20 391.224 Cardiac advisory council.— 21 (1) The department shall appoint a cardiac advisory council 22 for the purpose of advising the department on the delivery of 23 cardiac services to children. The duties of the council include, 24 but are not limited to: 25 (a) Recommending standards for personnel and facilities 26 rendering cardiac services. 27 (b) Analyzing reports on the periodic review of cardiac 28 personnel and facilities to determine if established standards 29 for the cardiac services are met. 30 (c) Making recommendations to the director of Children’s 31 Medical Services as to the approval or disapproval of reviewed 32 personnel and facilities. At the recommendation of the cardiac 33 advisory council and with the approval of the director, the 34 secretary of the department shall designate facilities approved 35 under this paragraph as “Pediatric and Congenital Cardiovascular 36 Centers of Excellence.” The designation is withdrawn 37 automatically if a particular center no longer meets state and 38 national professional standards of care for children with heart 39 disease. 40 (d) Making recommendations as to the intervals for 41 reinspection of approved personnel and facilities. 42 (e) Providing input on all aspects of Children’s Medical 43 Services cardiac programs, including rulemaking. 44 (f) Addressing all components of the care of adults and 45 children with congenital heart disease and children with 46 acquired heart disease, as indicated and appropriate. 47 (g) Abiding by the recognized state and national 48 professional standards of care for children with heart disease. 49 (h) Making recommendations for legislation and 50 appropriations for children’s cardiac services. 51 (i) Providing advisory opinions to the Agency for Health 52 Care Administration before the agency approves a certificate of 53 need for children’s cardiac services. 54 (2) The council shall be composed of 11 members with 55 technical expertise in cardiac medicine. Members shall be 56 appointed by the department for staggered terms of 4 years. An 57 employee of the department may not serve as a member or ex 58 officio member of the council. A vacancy shall be filled for the 59 remainder of the unexpired term in the same manner as the 60 original appointment. A member may not be appointed for more 61 than two consecutive terms. However, a member may be reappointed 62 after being off the council for at least 2 years. 63 (3) A council member shall serve without compensation, but 64 is entitled to reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses in 65 accordance with s. 112.061. 66 (4) Council meetings must be conducted by teleconference 67 where that capability is available. 68 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.