Florida Senate - 2012                       CS for CS for SB 402
       
       
       
       By the Committees on Budget; and Health Regulation; and Senators
       Negron and Fasano
       
       
       
       576-04374-12                                           2012402c2
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to prescription drug abuse; creating
    3         the Statewide Task Force on Prescription Drug Abuse
    4         and Newborns; providing a purpose; providing
    5         membership of the task force; providing for
    6         reimbursement of per diem and travel expenses for
    7         members of the task force; requiring that the
    8         Department of Legal Affairs provide the task force
    9         with necessary staff; specifying a date for the task
   10         force’s organizational session; providing meeting
   11         times; providing the duties of the task force;
   12         requiring that the task force submit reports to the
   13         Legislature; providing an effective date.
   14  
   15  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   16  
   17         Section 1. Statewide Task Force on Prescription Drug Abuse
   18  and Newborns.—
   19         (1)The Legislature declares that the purpose of this act
   20  is to create a task force to examine and analyze the emerging
   21  problem of neonatal withdrawal syndrome as it pertains to
   22  prescription drugs.
   23         (2)(a)There is created within the Department of Legal
   24  Affairs the Statewide Task Force on Prescription Drug Abuse and
   25  Newborns, a task force as defined in s. 20.03, Florida Statutes.
   26  The task force is created for the express purpose of researching
   27  the impact of prescription drug use and neonatal withdrawal
   28  syndrome, evaluating effective strategies for treatment and
   29  prevention, and providing policy recommendations to the
   30  Legislature.
   31         (b)The task force shall consist of the following members,
   32  or his or her designee:
   33         1. The Attorney General who shall serve as chair.
   34         2. The Surgeon General who shall serve as vice chair.
   35         3. The Secretary of Children and Family Services.
   36         4. The Secretary of Health Care Administration.
   37         5. The executive director of the Department of Law
   38  Enforcement.
   39         6. A legislator appointed by the President of the Senate.
   40         7. A legislator appointed by the Speaker of the House of
   41  Representatives.
   42         8. A representative from the Florida Medical Association.
   43         9. A representative from the Florida Hospital Association.
   44         10. A representative, appointed by the Attorney General,
   45  from an addiction and recovery association.
   46         11. A representative from the Florida Osteopathic Medical
   47  Association.
   48         12. A representative from the March of Dimes.
   49         13. A representative of Healthy Start.
   50         14. A resident of this state appointed by the Attorney
   51  General.
   52         15. A representative from the Florida Nurses Association.
   53         (c)Members of the task force are entitled to receive
   54  reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses pursuant to s.
   55  112.061, Florida Statutes.
   56         (d) The Department of Legal Affairs shall provide the task
   57  force with staff necessary to assist the task force in the
   58  performance of its duties.
   59         (3)The task force shall hold its organizational session by
   60  May 1, 2012. Thereafter, the task force shall meet at least four
   61  times per year. Additional meetings may be held if the chair
   62  determines that extraordinary circumstances require an
   63  additional meeting. A majority of the members of the task force
   64  constitutes a quorum.
   65         (4) The task force shall:
   66         (a)Collect and organize data concerning the nature and
   67  extent of neonatal withdrawal syndrome from prescription drugs
   68  in this state;
   69         (b) Collect and organize data concerning the costs
   70  associated with treating expectant mothers and newborns
   71  suffering from withdrawal from prescription drugs;
   72         (c)Identify available federal, state, and local programs
   73  that provide services to mothers who abuse prescription drugs
   74  and newborns who have neonatal withdrawal syndrome; and
   75         (d)Evaluate methods to increase public awareness of the
   76  dangers associated with prescription drug abuse, particularly to
   77  women, expectant mothers, and newborns.
   78         (5) The task force shall submit an interim report of its
   79  recommendations to the President of the Senate and the Speaker
   80  of the House of Representatives by January 15, 2013, and a final
   81  report of its recommendations by January 15, 2015.
   82         Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.