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.