Session of 1998
                   
SENATE BILL No. 394
         
By SRS Transition Oversight Committee
         
12-17
            9             AN ACT concerning the SRS transition oversight committee; composi-
10             tion; duties; continuing the committee in existence for a certain period;
11             amending K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 46-2701 and repealing the existing
12             section.
13            
14       Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
15           Section 1. On June 30, 1998, K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 46-2701 is hereby
16       amended to read as follows: 46-2701. (a) There is hereby created the SRS
17       transition oversight committee which shall consist of 12 members as fol-
18       lows:
19           (1) Three members appointed by the chairperson of the house ap-
20       propriations committee, from among the members of the house appro-
21       priations committee, of whom two are of the majority party and one is of
22       the minority party;
23           (2) three members appointed by the chairperson of the senate ways
24       and means committee, from among the members of the senate ways and
25       means committee, of whom two are of the majority party and one is of
26       the minority party;
27           (3) two members appointed by the speaker of the house of represen-
28       tatives from among the members of the house committee on health and
29       human services, one of whom shall be a member of the majority party
30       and one of whom shall be a member of the minority party;
31           (4) two members appointed by the president of the senate from
32       among the members of the senate committee on public health and wel-
33       fare, one of whom shall be a member of the majority party and one of
34       whom shall be a member of the minority party; and
35           (5) two members appointed jointly by the speaker of the house of
36       representatives and the president of the senate from among the members
37       of the health care reform legislative oversight committee, one of whom
38       shall be a member of the majority party and one of whom shall be a
39       member of the minority party.
40           (b) (1) For the period from July 1, 1998, through June 30, 2000, the
41       chairperson of the oversight committee shall be a representative appointed
42       by the chairperson of the house appropriations committee shall appoint
43       the chairperson and the vice-chairperson of the oversight committee for

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  1       the first year, ending on June 30, and shall be a senator appointed by the
  2       chairperson of the senate ways and means committee. For the period from
  3       July 1, 2000, through June 30, 2002, the chairperson of the oversight
  4       committee shall be a senator appointed by the chairperson of the senate
  5       ways and means committee shall appoint the chairperson and the vice-
  6       chairperson of the oversight committee for the second year of its exis-
  7       tence. No legislator whose district includes any part of the counties of
  8       Shawnee or Cowley shall be eligible to serve as a member of the oversight
  9       committee shall be a representative appointed by the chairperson of the
10       house appropriations committee.
11           (2) The terms of office of all members of the SRS transition oversight
12       committee serving on June 30, 1998, shall end on January 11, 1999. Each
13       person appointed as a member of the SRS transition oversight committee
14       for the period commencing on January 11, 1999, shall serve for a term of
15       office ending on January 8, 2001. Each person appointed as a member of
16       the SRS transition oversight committee for a term commencing on January
17       8, 2001, shall serve for a term ending on June 30, 2002.
18           (3) If a vacancy occurs in the office of any member of the SRS tran-
19       sition oversight committee, a successor shall be appointed in the same
20       manner as the original appointment.
21           (c) The oversight committee shall meet on call of the chairperson. All
22       such meetings shall be held in Topeka unless authorized to be held in a
23       different place by the legislative coordinating council. Members of the
24       oversight committee shall receive compensation and travel expenses and
25       subsistence expenses or allowances as provided in K.S.A. 75-3212 and
26       amendments thereto, when attending meetings of such committee.
27           (d) (1) The oversight committee shall monitor implementation of the
28       transfer of long-term care programs from the secretary of social and re-
29       habilitation services to the secretary of aging. The committee shall spe-
30       cifically examine transfer cost neutrality and the need for additional fund-
31       ing to finance transition costs. The oversight committee shall ensure that
32       the transfer of the long-term care programs does not lead to a loss of
33       services by consumers.
34           (2) The oversight committee shall:
35           (A) Monitor, review and make recommendations relating to privati-
36       zation efforts at the state hospitals, the closure of hospital beds, the down-
37       sizing of staff, the closure of Topeka state hospital and Winfield state
38       hospital and training center, the funding of community services and the
39       availability of adequate community services; and
40           (B) monitor and review preparation of an evaluation of the hospital
41       closure process which emphasizes how the process might be improved if
42       additional closure efforts are necessary in future years;
43           (C) review and make recommendations to the legislative coordinating

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  1       council relating to selection of a contractor to perform such evaluation of
  2       the hospital closure process; and
  3           (D) cooperate with the Kansas council on developmental disabilities
  4       in developing and reviewing the request for proposal process and in se-
  5       lecting the contractor to perform the hospital closure process evaluation.
  6           (3) The oversight committee shall monitor, review and make rec-
  7       ommendations relating to (A) privatization of children and youth service
  8       programs of the department of social and rehabilitation services, including
  9       family preservation, foster care and, adoption and child support collection
10       programs, (B) privatization of any other programs of the department of
11       social and rehabilitation services, and (C) any privatization of programs
12       of the department on aging.
13           (4) The oversight committee shall monitor, review and make recom-
14       mendations relating to federal social welfare reform laws and the regu-
15       lations and policies implementing such laws and the activities of the de-
16       partment of social and rehabilitation services relating to such federal laws,
17       regulations and policies.
18           (5) The oversight committee shall:
19           (A) Prepare an interim ;(Rx)port reports on findings and recommen-
20       dations which shall be provided to the legislature on or before the first
21       day of the 1997 regular legislative session in 1999, 2000 and 2001;
22           (B) prepare a final report on findings and recommendations which
23       shall be provided to the legislature on or before the first day of the 1998
24       regular legislative session; and in 2002;
25           (C) prepare an additional interim report relating to how the closure
26       process could be improved, including recommendations for improve-
27       ments in the closure process should closure of similar institutions occur
28       in future years, to be presented separately on or before the first day of
29       the 1997 regular legislative session in 1998, and to prepare an additional
30       final report on such issues to be presented separately to the legislature
31       on or before the first day of the 1998 regular legislative session in 1999.
32           (e) (1) In accordance with K.S.A. 46-1204 and amendments thereto,
33       the legislative coordinating council may provide for a contractor to per-
34       form an evaluation of the hospital closure process as may be recom-
35       mended by the SRS transition oversight committee.
36           (2) Such contractor shall prepare an evaluation of hospital closure,
37       including, but not limited to, evaluation of the following:
38           (A) Tracking of community placement and hospital transfers;
39           (B) appropriateness of placements and quality of community services;
40           (C) changes in capabilities of patients placed in the community and
41       other hospitals;
42           (D) consumer, parental and guardianship knowledge of available op-
43       tions prior to placements;

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  1           (E) impact of parental or guardian opinions regarding closure;
  2           (F) changes in community attitudes toward hospital closure and per-
  3       sons with developmental disabilities or severe and persistent mental ill-
  4       ness; and
  5           (G) identification of elements of the closure process which are suc-
  6       cessful, and the elements which are unsuccessful, including recommen-
  7       dations on how the process may be improved.
  8           (f) The SRS transition oversight committee is hereby abolished on
  9       July 1, 1998 2002.
10           Sec. 2. On June 30, 1998, K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 46-2701 is hereby re-
11       pealed.
12           Sec. 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
13       publication in the Kansas register.
14