Session of 1999
SENATE BILL No. 135
An Act concerning the health care reform legislative
oversight committee; expiration date;
repealing K.S.A. 1998 Supp. 46-2501, 46-2502, 46-2503,
46-2504, 46-2505 and 46-2506.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
Section 1. (a) Health care reform
for all Kansans is a matter of gen-
eral public interest. It is a matter that should be addressed by
those
persons elected by the voters to make public policy. The prospect
of
federal legislation affecting state laws and regulations requires
that the
state have the legislative and administrative expertise to promptly
make
the necessary adjustments in both laws and regulations as required
by
federal law. Further, regardless of the federal proposal enacted,
each such
proposal relies ultimately on the state for implementation in the
crucial
areas of insurance reform, quality assurance, availability of
service and
administrative structure to implement the reform program. The
legisla-
ture must be prepared to respond timely but deliberately to
safeguard
the public health and welfare of all Kansans.
(b) There is hereby created the health
care reform legislative over-
sight committee, hereinafter ``committee,'' to oversee the
necessary
changes in state laws and regulations made necessary by federal law
and,
to the fullest extent possible, implement health care reform
specific to
Kansas needs.
(1) The committee shall be composed of 12
members of the legisla-
ture appointed as follows: Three members of the house of
representa-
tives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;
three
members of the house of representatives appointed by the minority
leader
of the house of representatives; three members of the senate
appointed
by the president of the senate; and three members of the senate
ap-
pointed by the minority leader of the senate. The president of the
senate
shall designate a senator member to be chairperson of the committee
as
provided in this section. The speaker of the house of
representatives shall
designate a representative member to be chairperson of the
committee
as provided in this section. The minority leader of the senate
shall des-
ignate a senate member to be vice-chairperson of the committee as
pro-
vided in this section. The minority leader of the house of
representatives
shall designate a representative member to be vice-chairperson of
the
committee as provided in this section. The secretary of health and
envi-
ronment, the secretary of social and rehabilitation services, the
director
of the budget and the commissioner of insurance shall be advisors
to the
committee.
(2) A quorum of the committee shall be
seven. All actions of the
committee may be taken by a majority of those present when there is
a
quorum. In even-numbered years the chairperson of the committee
shall
be the designated member of the senate from the convening of the
reg-
ular session of that year until the convening of the regular
session of the
next ensuing year. In odd-numbered years, the chairperson of the
com-
mittee shall be the designated member of the house of
representatives
from the convening of the regular session in that year until the
convening
of the regular session in the next ensuing year. In even-numbered
years,
the vice-chairperson of the committee shall be the designated
member
of the house of representatives from the convening of the regular
session
in that year until the convening of the regular session in the next
ensuing
year. In odd-numbered years, the vice-chairperson of the committee
shall
be the designated member of the senate from the convening of the
reg-
ular session of that year until the convening of the regular
session of the
next ensuing year. The vice-chairperson shall exercise all of the
powers
of the chairperson in the absence of the chairperson.
(3) The committee shall be designated a
standing joint committee of
the legislature and shall have such powers and duties as
hereinafter pro-
vided. Funding of operations of the committee shall be made from
mon-
eys appropriated to the legislature and expenditures of the
committee
shall be approved by the legislative coordinating council.
Administrative
support for the committee shall be provided by the division of
legislative
administrative services.
(4) The health care reform legislative
oversight committee shall meet
on call of the chairperson as authorized by the legislative
coordinating
council. All such meetings shall be held in Topeka unless
authorized to
be held in a different place by the legislative coordinating
council. Mem-
bers of the committee shall receive compensation and travel
expenses
and subsistence expenses or allowances as provided in K.S.A.
75-3212
and amendments thereto, when attending meetings of such
committee
authorized by the legislative coordinating council.
(c) The health care reform legislative
oversight committee shall:
(1) Examine changes in federal laws
affecting Kansas and propose
such changes in Kansas laws and regulations as are necessary to
meet the
federal requirements.
(2) Cooperate and interact with agencies
of the federal government
responsible for health care reform.
(3) Consider all health care financing
and delivery options now in
effect taking into account the actions of other states and the
federal gov-
ernment.
(4) Work cooperatively with all relevant
state and federal agencies,
health care providers, payors and consumer groups in the
development
of an integrated health plan for all Kansans.
(5) Receive, analyze and make
recommendations related to the state
health care data base developed by the health care data governing
board.
(6) Develop plans for health care cost
containment.
(7) Study and make recommendations for
legislative action to inte-
grate health care financing and coverage with other states.
(8) Recommend legislative actions
necessary to assure accessibility of
services to residents of underserved areas.
(9) Provide recommendations if federal or
state laws require inclu-
sion of the medical care component of workers compensation and
auto-
mobile insurance into all inclusive health care coverage.
(10) Make recommendations on tort reform
for medical liability and
for state antitrust reform and federal antitrust modifications.
(d) The committee may appoint advisory
subcommittees as it deems
appropriate but shall at least name the following:
(1) Administrative subcommittee. This
subcommittee shall be com-
posed of the secretary of health and environment, the secretary of
social
and rehabilitation services, the secretary of aging, the director
of the
budget and such other state or local governmental agency officials
as are
named by the committee.
(2) Insurance subcommittee. This
subcommittee shall be composed
of the commissioner of insurance, a representative of a domestic
insur-
ance carrier, a representative of a foreign insurance company, a
repre-
sentative of the managed care industry and such others as are named
by
the committee.
(3) Employer subcommittee. This
subcommittee shall be composed
of a representative of statewide business organization having large
and
small employer members, a representative of an organization having
only
small employer members, a representative of organized labor and
such
other members as are named by the committee.
(4) Provider subcommittee. This
subcommittee shall be composed of
a representative of a statewide physicians group, a statewide
nursing
group, a statewide hospital group and such other provider groups as
are
named by the committee.
(5) Consumer subcommittee. This
subcommittee shall be composed
of representatives of consumers of health care in this state as are
named
by the committee.
(e) All subcommittees shall meet and
report at the direction of the
committee, but in no event shall the subcommittees report less than
quar-
terly. All meetings shall be subject to the Kansas open meetings
act. Mem-
bers of the advisory subcommittees shall not be paid compensation,
sub-
sistence allowances, mileage or other expenses as otherwise may
be
authorized by law for attending meetings of the advisory
subcommittees.
(f) The committee may introduce
legislation.
(g) All officers and employees of the
state shall provide such infor-
mation and assistance as may be deemed necessary by the
committee.
Staff assistance shall be provided by the office of the revisor of
statutes,
the legislative research department and such other legislative
offices and
employees as may be directed by the legislative coordinating
council.
(h) The department of health and
environment is hereby designated
the contact agency for the state of Kansas with reference to
federal health
care reform measures. The department of health and environment
shall
not make any decision with reference to federal health care reform
meas-
ures not otherwise authorized by the legislature or which would be
in-
consistent with existing law.
(i) The provisions of this section shall
expire on July 1, 2001.
Sec. 2. K.S.A. 1998 Supp. 46-2501, 46-2502,
46-2503, 46-2504, 46-
2505 and 46-2506 are hereby repealed.
Sec. 3. This act shall take effect and be in force
from and after its
publication in the statute book.
I hereby certify that the above BILL originated in the
SENATE, and passed that body
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Passed the HOUSE ______________________________
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APPROVED ______________________________
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