Senate Bill sb1324e1

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  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to healthy lifestyles;

  3         providing a short title; providing legislative

  4         findings; providing definitions; providing for

  5         the establishment of a statewide comprehensive

  6         educational program on lead poisoning

  7         prevention; providing for a public information

  8         initiative; providing for distribution of

  9         literature about childhood lead poisoning;

10         requiring the establishment of a screening

11         program for early identification of persons at

12         risk of elevated levels of lead in the blood;

13         providing for screening of children; providing

14         for prioritization of screening; providing for

15         the maintenance of records of screenings;

16         providing for reporting of cases of lead

17         poisoning; providing an appropriation;

18         providing contingencies for implementing the

19         educational program under the act; amending s.

20         381.0054, F.S.; requiring the Department of

21         Health to collaborate with other state agencies

22         in developing policies and strategies to

23         prevent and treat obesity which shall be

24         incorporated into agency programs; requiring

25         the department to advise health care

26         practitioners regarding morbidity, mortality,

27         and costs associated with the condition of

28         being overweight or obese; requiring the

29         department to inform health care practitioners

30         about clinical best practices for obesity

31         prevention and treatment and to encourage


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 1         practitioners to counsel their patients

 2         regarding the adoption of healthy lifestyles;

 3         amending s. 110.123, F.S.; defining the term

 4         "age-based and gender-based benefits" for

 5         purposes of the state group insurance program;

 6         creating the Florida State Employee Wellness

 7         Council within the Department of Management

 8         Services; providing for membership; providing

 9         for reimbursement of per diem and travel

10         expenses; providing purpose and duties of the

11         council; providing an effective date.

12  

13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

14  

15         Section 1.  Short title.--This act may be cited as the

16  "Lead Poisoning Prevention Screening and Education Act."

17         Section 2.  Legislative findings.--

18         (1)  Nearly 300,000 American children may have levels

19  of lead in their blood in excess of 10 micrograms per

20  deciliter (ug/dL). Unless prevented or treated, elevated

21  blood-lead levels in egregious cases may result in impairment

22  of the ability to think, concentrate, and learn.

23         (2)  A significant cause of lead poisoning in children

24  is the ingestion of lead particles from deteriorating

25  lead-based paint in older, poorly maintained residences.

26         (3)  Childhood lead poisoning can be prevented if

27  parents, property-owners, health professionals, and those who

28  work with young children are informed about the risks of

29  childhood lead poisoning and how to prevent it.

30  

31  


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 1         (4)  Knowledge of lead-based-paint hazards, their

 2  control, mitigation, abatement, and risk avoidance is not

 3  sufficiently widespread.

 4         (5)  Most children who live in older homes and who

 5  otherwise may be at risk for childhood lead poisoning are not

 6  tested for the presence of elevated lead levels in their

 7  blood.

 8         (6)  Testing for elevated lead levels in the blood can

 9  lead to the mitigation or prevention of the harmful effects of

10  childhood lead poisoning and may also prevent similar injuries

11  to other children living in the same household.

12         Section 3.  Definitions.--As used in this act, the

13  term:

14         (1)  "Affected property" means a room or group of rooms

15  within a property constructed before January 1, 1960, or

16  within a property constructed between January 1, 1960, and

17  January 1, 1978, where the owner has actual knowledge of the

18  presence of lead-based paint, that form a single independent

19  habitable dwelling unit for occupation by one or more

20  individuals and that has living facilities with permanent

21  provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and

22  sanitation. Affected property does not include:

23         (a)  An area not used for living, sleeping, eating,

24  cooking, or sanitation, such as an unfinished basement;

25         (b)  A unit within a hotel, motel, or similar seasonal

26  or transient facility, unless such unit is occupied by one or

27  more persons at risk for a period exceeding 30 days;

28         (c)  An area that is secured and inaccessible to

29  occupants; or

30         (d)  A unit that is not offered for rent.

31  


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 1         (2)  "Dust-lead hazard" means surface dust in a

 2  residential dwelling or a facility occupied by a person at

 3  risk which contains a mass-per-area concentration of lead

 4  equal to or exceeding 40 ug/ft2 on floors or 250 ug/ft2 on

 5  interior windowsills based on wipe samples.

 6         (3)  "Elevated blood-lead level" means a quantity of

 7  lead in whole venous blood, expressed in micrograms per

 8  deciliter (ug/dL), which exceeds 10 ug/dL or such other level

 9  as specifically provided in this act.

10         (4)  "Lead-based paint" means paint or other surface

11  coatings that contain lead equal to or exceeding 1.0 milligram

12  per square centimeter, 0.5 percent by weight, or 5,000 parts

13  per million (ppm) by weight.

14         (5)  "Lead-based-paint hazard" means paint-lead hazards

15  and dust-lead hazards.

16         (6)  "Owner" means a person, firm, corporation,

17  nonprofit organization, partnership, government, guardian,

18  conservator, receiver, trustee, executor, or other judicial

19  officer, or other entity which, alone or with others, owns,

20  holds, or controls the freehold or leasehold title or part of

21  the title to property, with or without actually possessing it.

22  The definition includes a vendee who possesses the title, but

23  does not include a mortgagee or an owner of a reversionary

24  interest under a ground rent lease. The term includes any

25  authorized agent of the owner, including a property manager or

26  leasing agent.

27         (7)  "Paint-lead hazard" means any one of the

28  following:

29         (a)  Any lead-based paint on a friction surface that is

30  subject to abrasion and where the dust-lead levels on the

31  nearest horizontal surface underneath the friction surface,


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 1  such as the windowsill or floor, are equal to or greater than

 2  the dust-lead-hazard levels defined in subsection (2);

 3         (b)  Any damaged or otherwise deteriorated lead-based

 4  paint on an impact surface that is caused by impact from a

 5  related building material, such as a door knob that knocks

 6  into a wall or a door that knocks against its door frame;

 7         (c)  Any chewable lead-based painted surface on which

 8  there is evidence of teeth marks; or

 9         (d)  Any other deteriorated lead-based paint in or on

10  the exterior of any residential building or any facility

11  occupied by a person at risk.

12         (8)  "Person at risk" means a child under the age of 6

13  years or a pregnant woman who resides or regularly spends at

14  least 24 hours per week in an affected property.

15         (9)  "Secretary" means the secretary of the Department

16  of Health or a designee chosen by the secretary to administer

17  the Lead Poisoning Prevention Screening and Education Act.

18         (10)  "Tenant" means the individual named as the lessee

19  in a lease, rental agreement, or occupancy agreement for a

20  dwelling unit.

21         Section 4.  Educational programs.--

22         (1)  LEAD POISONING PREVENTION EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM

23  ESTABLISHED.--In order to achieve the purposes of this act, a

24  statewide, multifaceted, ongoing educational program designed

25  to meet the needs of tenants, property owners, health care

26  providers, early childhood educators, care providers, and

27  realtors is established.

28         (2)  PUBLIC INFORMATION INITIATIVE.--The Governor, in

29  conjunction with the Secretary of Health and his or her

30  designee, shall sponsor a series of public service

31  announcements on radio, television, the Internet, and print


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 1  media about the nature of lead-based-paint hazards, the

 2  importance of standards for lead poisoning prevention in

 3  properties, and the purposes and responsibilities set forth in

 4  this act. In developing and coordinating this public

 5  information initiative, the sponsors shall seek the

 6  participation and involvement of private industry

 7  organizations, including those involved in real estate,

 8  insurance, mortgage banking, and pediatrics.

 9         (3)  DISTRIBUTION OF LITERATURE ABOUT CHILDHOOD LEAD

10  POISONING.--By January 1, 2007, the Secretary of Health or his

11  or her designee shall develop culturally and linguistically

12  appropriate information pamphlets regarding childhood lead

13  poisoning, the importance of testing for elevated blood-lead

14  levels, prevention of childhood lead poisoning, treatment of

15  childhood lead poisoning, and, where appropriate, the

16  requirements of this act. These information pamphlets shall be

17  distributed to parents or the other legal guardians of

18  children 6 years of age or younger on the following occasions:

19         (a)  By a health care provider at the time of a child's

20  birth and at the time of any childhood immunization or

21  vaccination unless it is established that such information

22  pamphlet has been provided previously to the parent or legal

23  guardian by the health care provider within the prior 12

24  months.

25         (b)  By the owner or operator of any child care

26  facility or preschool or kindergarten class on or before

27  October 15 of the calendar year.

28         Section 5.  Screening program.--

29         (1)  The secretary shall establish a program for early

30  identification of persons at risk of having elevated

31  blood-lead levels. Such program shall systematically screen


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 1  children under 6 years of age in the target populations

 2  identified in subsection (2) for the presence of elevated

 3  blood-lead levels. Children within the specified target

 4  populations shall be screened with a blood-lead test at age 12

 5  months and age 24 months, or between the ages of 36 months and

 6  72 months if they have not previously been screened. The

 7  secretary shall, after consultation with recognized

 8  professional medical groups and such other sources as the

 9  secretary deems appropriate, promulgate rules establishing:

10         (a)  The means by which and the intervals at which such

11  children under 6 years of age shall be screened for lead

12  poisoning and elevated blood-lead levels.

13         (b)  Guidelines for the medical followup on children

14  found to have elevated blood-lead levels.

15         (2)  In developing screening programs to identify

16  persons at risk with elevated blood-lead levels, priority

17  shall be given to persons within the following categories:

18         (a)  All children enrolled in the Medicaid program at

19  ages 12 months and 24 months, or between the ages of 36 months

20  and 72 months if they have not previously been screened.

21         (b)  Children under the age of 6 years exhibiting

22  delayed cognitive development or other symptoms of childhood

23  lead poisoning.

24         (c)  Persons at risk residing in the same household, or

25  recently residing in the same household, as another person at

26  risk with a blood-lead level of 10 ug/dL or greater.

27         (d)  Persons at risk residing, or who have recently

28  resided, in buildings or geographical areas in which

29  significant numbers of cases of lead poisoning or elevated

30  blood-lead levels have recently been reported.

31  


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 1         (e)  Persons at risk residing, or who have recently

 2  resided, in an affected property contained in a building that

 3  during the preceding 3 years has been subject to enforcement

 4  for violations of lead-poisoning-prevention statutes,

 5  ordinances, rules, or regulations as specified by the

 6  secretary.

 7         (f)  Persons at risk residing, or who have recently

 8  resided, in a room or group of rooms contained in a building

 9  whose owner also owns a building containing affected

10  properties which during the preceding 3 years has been subject

11  to an enforcement action for a violation of

12  lead-poisoning-prevention statutes, ordinances, rules, or

13  regulations.

14         (g)  Persons at risk residing in other buildings or

15  geographical areas in which the secretary reasonably

16  determines there to be a significant risk of affected

17  individuals having a blood-lead level of 10 ug/dL or greater.

18         (3)  The secretary shall maintain comprehensive records

19  of all screenings conducted pursuant to this section. Such

20  records shall be indexed geographically and by owner in order

21  to determine the location of areas of relatively high

22  incidence of lead poisoning and other elevated blood-lead

23  levels.

24  

25  All cases or probable cases of lead poisoning found in the

26  course of screenings conducted pursuant to this section shall

27  be reported to the affected individual, to his or her parent

28  or legal guardian if he or she is a minor, and to the

29  secretary.

30         Section 6.  For the 2006-2007 fiscal year, the sum of

31  $308,000 in recurring general revenue funds is appropriated to


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 1  the Department of Health for the purpose of implementing

 2  section 5 of this act.

 3         Section 7.  Section 4 shall take effect only if the

 4  requirements in that section are consistent with requirements

 5  of any federal childhood lead-poisoning-prevention grant

 6  awarded to the Department of Health and if federal funds

 7  awarded with any such grant are permitted to be used to

 8  implement the requirements in that section.

 9         Section 8.  Subsection (1) of section 381.0054, Florida

10  Statutes, is amended to read:

11         381.0054  Healthy lifestyles promotion.--

12         (1)  The Department of Health shall promote healthy

13  lifestyles to reduce the prevalence of excess weight gain

14  overweight and obesity in Florida by implementing appropriate

15  physical activity and nutrition programs that are directed

16  towards target all Floridians by:

17         (a)  Using all appropriate media to promote maximum

18  public awareness of the latest research on healthy lifestyles

19  and chronic diseases and disseminating relevant information

20  through a statewide clearinghouse relating to wellness,

21  physical activity, and nutrition and their impact on chronic

22  diseases and disabling conditions.

23         (b)  Providing technical assistance, training, and

24  resources on healthy lifestyles and chronic diseases to the

25  public, county health departments, health care providers,

26  school districts, and other persons or entities, including

27  faith-based organizations, that request such assistance to

28  promote physical activity, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle

29  programs.

30         (c)  Developing, implementing, and using all available

31  research methods to collect data, including, but not limited


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 1  to, population-specific data, and track the incidence and

 2  effects of weight gain, obesity, and related chronic diseases.

 3  The department shall include an evaluation and data collection

 4  component in all programs as appropriate.

 5         (d)  Partnering with the Department of Education, local

 6  communities, school districts, and other entities to encourage

 7  Florida schools to promote activities during and after school

 8  to help students meet a minimum goal of 60 minutes of activity

 9  per day.

10         (e)  Partnering with the Department of Education,

11  school districts, and the Florida Sports Foundation to develop

12  a program that recognizes schools whose students demonstrate

13  excellent physical fitness or fitness improvement.

14         (f)  Collaborating with other state agencies to develop

15  policies and strategies for preventing and treating obesity,

16  which shall be incorporated into programs administered by each

17  agency and shall include promoting healthy lifestyles of

18  employees of each agency.

19         (g)  Advising, in accordance with s. 456.081, health

20  care practitioners licensed in this state regarding the

21  morbidity, mortality, and costs associated with the condition

22  of being overweight or obese, informing such practitioners of

23  clinical best practices for preventing and treating obesity,

24  and encouraging practitioners to counsel their patients

25  regarding the adoption of healthy lifestyles.

26         (h)(f)  Maximizing all local, state, and federal

27  funding sources, including grants, public-private

28  partnerships, and other mechanisms, to strengthen the

29  department's current physical activity and nutrition programs

30  and to enhance similar county health department programs.

31  


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 1         Section 9.  Paragraph (h) of subsection (3) of section

 2  110.123, Florida Statutes, is amended, and subsection (13) is

 3  added to that section, to read:

 4         110.123  State group insurance program.--

 5         (3)  STATE GROUP INSURANCE PROGRAM.--

 6         (h)1.  A person eligible to participate in the state

 7  group insurance program may be authorized by rules adopted by

 8  the department, in lieu of participating in the state group

 9  health insurance plan, to exercise an option to elect

10  membership in a health maintenance organization plan which is

11  under contract with the state in accordance with criteria

12  established by this section and by said rules. The offer of

13  optional membership in a health maintenance organization plan

14  permitted by this paragraph may be limited or conditioned by

15  rule as may be necessary to meet the requirements of state and

16  federal laws.

17         2.  The department shall contract with health

18  maintenance organizations seeking to participate in the state

19  group insurance program through a request for proposal or

20  other procurement process, as developed by the Department of

21  Management Services and determined to be appropriate.

22         a.  The department shall establish a schedule of

23  minimum benefits for health maintenance organization coverage,

24  and that schedule shall include: physician services; inpatient

25  and outpatient hospital services; emergency medical services,

26  including out-of-area emergency coverage; diagnostic

27  laboratory and diagnostic and therapeutic radiologic services;

28  mental health, alcohol, and chemical dependency treatment

29  services meeting the minimum requirements of state and federal

30  law; skilled nursing facilities and services; prescription

31  drugs; age-based and gender-based wellness benefits; and other


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 1  benefits as may be required by the department. Additional

 2  services may be provided subject to the contract between the

 3  department and the HMO. As used in this paragraph, the term

 4  "age-based and gender-based wellness benefits" includes

 5  aerobic exercise, education in alcohol and substance abuse

 6  prevention, blood cholesterol screening, health risk

 7  appraisals, blood pressure screening and education, nutrition

 8  education, program planning, safety belt education, smoking

 9  cessation, stress management, weight management, and woman's

10  health education.

11         b.  The department may establish uniform deductibles,

12  copayments, coverage tiers, or coinsurance schedules for all

13  participating HMO plans.

14         c.  The department may require detailed information

15  from each health maintenance organization participating in the

16  procurement process, including information pertaining to

17  organizational status, experience in providing prepaid health

18  benefits, accessibility of services, financial stability of

19  the plan, quality of management services, accreditation

20  status, quality of medical services, network access and

21  adequacy, performance measurement, ability to meet the

22  department's reporting requirements, and the actuarial basis

23  of the proposed rates and other data determined by the

24  director to be necessary for the evaluation and selection of

25  health maintenance organization plans and negotiation of

26  appropriate rates for these plans. Upon receipt of proposals

27  by health maintenance organization plans and the evaluation of

28  those proposals, the department may enter into negotiations

29  with all of the plans or a subset of the plans, as the

30  department determines appropriate. Nothing shall preclude the

31  department from negotiating regional or statewide contracts


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 1  with health maintenance organization plans when this is

 2  cost-effective and when the department determines that the

 3  plan offers high value to enrollees.

 4         d.  The department may limit the number of HMOs that it

 5  contracts with in each service area based on the nature of the

 6  bids the department receives, the number of state employees in

 7  the service area, or any unique geographical characteristics

 8  of the service area. The department shall establish by rule

 9  service areas throughout the state.

10         e.  All persons participating in the state group

11  insurance program may be required to contribute towards a

12  total state group health premium that may vary depending upon

13  the plan and coverage tier selected by the enrollee and the

14  level of state contribution authorized by the Legislature.

15         3.  The department is authorized to negotiate and to

16  contract with specialty psychiatric hospitals for mental

17  health benefits, on a regional basis, for alcohol, drug abuse,

18  and mental and nervous disorders. The department may

19  establish, subject to the approval of the Legislature pursuant

20  to subsection (5), any such regional plan upon completion of

21  an actuarial study to determine any impact on plan benefits

22  and premiums.

23         4.  In addition to contracting pursuant to subparagraph

24  2., the department may enter into contract with any HMO to

25  participate in the state group insurance program which:

26         a.  Serves greater than 5,000 recipients on a prepaid

27  basis under the Medicaid program;

28         b.  Does not currently meet the 25-percent

29  non-Medicare/non-Medicaid enrollment composition requirement

30  established by the Department of Health excluding participants

31  enrolled in the state group insurance program;


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 1         c.  Meets the minimum benefit package and copayments

 2  and deductibles contained in sub-subparagraphs 2.a. and b.;

 3         d.  Is willing to participate in the state group

 4  insurance program at a cost of premiums that is not greater

 5  than 95 percent of the cost of HMO premiums accepted by the

 6  department in each service area; and

 7         e.  Meets the minimum surplus requirements of s.

 8  641.225.

 9  

10  The department is authorized to contract with HMOs that meet

11  the requirements of sub-subparagraphs a.-d. prior to the open

12  enrollment period for state employees. The department is not

13  required to renew the contract with the HMOs as set forth in

14  this paragraph more than twice. Thereafter, the HMOs shall be

15  eligible to participate in the state group insurance program

16  only through the request for proposal or invitation to

17  negotiate process described in subparagraph 2.

18         5.  All enrollees in a state group health insurance

19  plan, a TRICARE supplemental insurance plan, or any health

20  maintenance organization plan have the option of changing to

21  any other health plan that is offered by the state within any

22  open enrollment period designated by the department. Open

23  enrollment shall be held at least once each calendar year.

24         6.  When a contract between a treating provider and the

25  state-contracted health maintenance organization is terminated

26  for any reason other than for cause, each party shall allow

27  any enrollee for whom treatment was active to continue

28  coverage and care when medically necessary, through completion

29  of treatment of a condition for which the enrollee was

30  receiving care at the time of the termination, until the

31  enrollee selects another treating provider, or until the next


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 1  open enrollment period offered, whichever is longer, but no

 2  longer than 6 months after termination of the contract. Each

 3  party to the terminated contract shall allow an enrollee who

 4  has initiated a course of prenatal care, regardless of the

 5  trimester in which care was initiated, to continue care and

 6  coverage until completion of postpartum care. This does not

 7  prevent a provider from refusing to continue to provide care

 8  to an enrollee who is abusive, noncompliant, or in arrears in

 9  payments for services provided. For care continued under this

10  subparagraph, the program and the provider shall continue to

11  be bound by the terms of the terminated contract. Changes made

12  within 30 days before termination of a contract are effective

13  only if agreed to by both parties.

14         7.  Any HMO participating in the state group insurance

15  program shall submit health care utilization and cost data to

16  the department, in such form and in such manner as the

17  department shall require, as a condition of participating in

18  the program. The department shall enter into negotiations with

19  its contracting HMOs to determine the nature and scope of the

20  data submission and the final requirements, format, penalties

21  associated with noncompliance, and timetables for submission.

22  These determinations shall be adopted by rule.

23         8.  The department may establish and direct, with

24  respect to collective bargaining issues, a comprehensive

25  package of insurance benefits that may include supplemental

26  health and life coverage, dental care, long-term care, vision

27  care, and other benefits it determines necessary to enable

28  state employees to select from among benefit options that best

29  suit their individual and family needs.

30         a.  Based upon a desired benefit package, the

31  department shall issue a request for proposal or invitation to


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 1  negotiate for health insurance providers interested in

 2  participating in the state group insurance program, and the

 3  department shall issue a request for proposal or invitation to

 4  negotiate for insurance providers interested in participating

 5  in the non-health-related components of the state group

 6  insurance program. Upon receipt of all proposals, the

 7  department may enter into contract negotiations with insurance

 8  providers submitting bids or negotiate a specially designed

 9  benefit package. Insurance providers offering or providing

10  supplemental coverage as of May 30, 1991, which qualify for

11  pretax benefit treatment pursuant to s. 125 of the Internal

12  Revenue Code of 1986, with 5,500 or more state employees

13  currently enrolled may be included by the department in the

14  supplemental insurance benefit plan established by the

15  department without participating in a request for proposal,

16  submitting bids, negotiating contracts, or negotiating a

17  specially designed benefit package. These contracts shall

18  provide state employees with the most cost-effective and

19  comprehensive coverage available; however, no state or agency

20  funds shall be contributed toward the cost of any part of the

21  premium of such supplemental benefit plans. With respect to

22  dental coverage, the division shall include in any

23  solicitation or contract for any state group dental program

24  made after July 1, 2001, a comprehensive indemnity dental plan

25  option which offers enrollees a completely unrestricted choice

26  of dentists. If a dental plan is endorsed, or in some manner

27  recognized as the preferred product, such plan shall include a

28  comprehensive indemnity dental plan option which provides

29  enrollees with a completely unrestricted choice of dentists.

30         b.  Pursuant to the applicable provisions of s.

31  110.161, and s. 125 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the


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 1  department shall enroll in the pretax benefit program those

 2  state employees who voluntarily elect coverage in any of the

 3  supplemental insurance benefit plans as provided by

 4  sub-subparagraph a.

 5         c.  Nothing herein contained shall be construed to

 6  prohibit insurance providers from continuing to provide or

 7  offer supplemental benefit coverage to state employees as

 8  provided under existing agency plans.

 9         (13)  FLORIDA STATE EMPLOYEE WELLNESS COUNCIL.--

10         (a)  There is created within the department the Florida

11  State Employee Wellness Council.

12         (b)  The council shall be an advisory body to the

13  department to provide health education information to

14  employees and to assist the department in developing minimum

15  benefits for all health care providers when providing

16  age-based and gender-based wellness benefits.

17         (c)  The council shall be composed of nine members

18  appointed by the Governor. When making appointments to the

19  council, the Governor shall appoint persons who are residents

20  of the state and who are highly knowledgeable concerning,

21  active in, and recognized leaders in the health and medical

22  field, at least one of whom must be an employee of the state.

23  Council members shall equitably represent the broadest

24  spectrum of the health industry and the geographic areas of

25  the state. Not more than one member of the council may be from

26  any one company, organization, or association.

27         (d)1.  Council members shall be appointed to 4-year

28  terms, except that the initial terms shall be staggered. The

29  Governor shall appoint three members to 2-year terms, three

30  members to 3-year terms, and three members to 4-year terms.

31  


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    CS for CS for SB 1324                          First Engrossed



 1         2.  A member's absence from three consecutive meetings

 2  shall result in his or her automatic removal from the council.

 3  A vacancy on the council shall be filled for the remainder of

 4  the unexpired term.

 5         (e)  The council shall annually elect from its

 6  membership one member to serve as chair of the council and one

 7  member to serve as vice chair.

 8         (f)  The first meeting of the council shall be called

 9  by the chair not more than 60 days after the council members

10  are appointed by the Governor. The council shall thereafter

11  meet at least once quarterly and may meet more often as

12  necessary. The department shall provide staff assistance to

13  the council which shall include, but not be limited to,

14  keeping records of the proceedings of the council and serving

15  as custodian of all books, documents, and papers filed with

16  the council.

17         (g)  A majority of the members of the council

18  constitutes a quorum.

19         (h)  Members of the council shall serve without

20  compensation, but are entitled to reimbursement for per diem

21  and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061 while performing

22  their duties.

23         (i)  The council shall:

24         1.  Work to encourage participation in wellness

25  programs by state employees. The council may prepare

26  informational programs and brochures for state agencies and

27  employees.

28         2.  In consultation with the department, develop

29  standards and criteria for age-based and gender-based wellness

30  programs.

31         Section 10.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.


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