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MINUTES OF THE SENATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

    STANDING COMMITTEE
FEBRUARY 15, 2007
ROOM W020, WEST OFFICE BUILDING, STATE CAPITOL COMPLEX



Members Present:        Sen. D. Chris Buttars, Chair
                Sen. Allen M. Christensen
                Sen. Brent H. Goodfellow
                Sen. Peter C. Knudson
                Sen. Scott D. McCoy
    
Staff Present:            Mark D. Andrews, Policy Analyst
                Nedra B. Duzett, Secretary

Public Speakers Present:    Sheri Eurick, Legislative Chair, Utah Dental Hygienist Assn.
                Dr. George Veit, Utah Valley State College
                Alison Carlisi, President, Utah Dental Hygienist Assn.
                Carol Aldrich, Past President, Utah Dental Hygienist Assn.
                Dr. Monte Thompson, Director, Utah Dental Assn.
                Kim Wirthlin, Government Relations, University of Utah
                Shauna Brock
                Michael Hales, Director, Div. of Health Care Financing, Utah Department of Health
                Shauna Brock, Independent Living Center
                Andrew Rittle, Disability Law Center
                Carma Seimo, Utah Agency on Aging
                Rickie Landers
                Kenneth Woolley
                
A list of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with the committee minutes.

Committee Chair Buttars called the meeting to order at 8:15 a.m.

1.    S.B. 124 Dental Hygienist Licensing Act Amendments (M. Waddoups)

    Sen. Waddoups asked the committee to adopt a substitute bill.

     MOTION: Sen. Goodfellow moved to delete in title and body S.B. 124 and replace it with 1st Substitute S.B. 124, Dental Hygienist Licensing Act Amendments.

    The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Knudson absent for the vote.

    Sen. Waddoups, assisted by Sheri Eurick, Legislative Chair, Utah Dental Hygienist Assn.     explained the substitute bill .


    The following individuals spoke in support of the bill.
            
             Sheri Eurick, Legislative Chair, Utah Dental Hygienist Assn.
            Dr. George Veit, Utah Valley State College
             Alison Carlisi, President, Utah Dental Hygienist Assn.
            Carol Aldrich, Past President, Dental Hygienist Assn.

    Dr. Monte Thompson, Director, Utah Dental Assn. spoke in opposition to the bill.

    MOTION: Sen. Christensen moved to go to the next item on the agenda.

    The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Knudson absent for the vote.

2.    H.B. 252S1 Utah Suicide Prevention Act (W. Harper)

    Rep. Harper asked that the following amendment be adopted.


1.    Page 6, Lines 167 through 168 :    

             167          (b)
  in accordance with Subsection (3),       determine whether it would be beneficial to develop a statewide suicide prevention

             168      plan
  , or to modify or adopt an existing or proposed prevention plan,       to reduce the number of suicides in the state;


2.    Page 7, Lines 188 through 193 :    

             188          (f) receive input from:
             189          (i) stakeholders, professional associations, and other public, private, faith-based, or
             190      charitable organizations that provide services relating to suicide prevention or remediation;
{   and   }

    
  (ii)    the Utah Suicide Prevention Council regarding its proposed 2007 Utah Suicide Prevention Plan, and other studies and recommendations relating to suicide and suicide prevention; and      

             191          
{   (ii)   }        (iii)       other groups that are considering plans, methods, or programs for preventing

             192      suicide in the state, including the Department of Health's Prescription Drug Abuse Working
             193      Group.


3.    Page 7, Line 196 :    

             196          (b) may meet up to ten times during the 2007 interim.
    
  (3)    In making the determination described in Subsection (1)(b), the task force shall consider whether such a suicide prevention plan should include all or part of a proposed or existing suicide prevention plan.      


     MOTION: Sen. Goodfellow moved to adopt the amendment.

    The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Christensen and Sen. Knudson absent for the vote.    

    Rep. Harper explained the bill as amended.

    Kim Wirthlin, Vice-president, Government Relations, University of Utah, indicated that the University supports the bill as long as an additional amendment mentioned by the sponsor but not included in the amendment adopted above is adopted on the floor of the Senate.

     MOTION: Sen. McCoy moved to pass the bill out favorably as amended.

    The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Christensen and Sen. Knudson absent for the vote.

3.    S.B. 61 Portability of Medical Assistance Funds (E. Mayne)

    Sen. Mayne explained the bill and said it has been substituted.

     MOTION: Sen. Goodfellow moved to delete in title and body S.B. 61 and replace it with 1st Substitute S.B. 61, Portability of Medical Assistance Funds.

    The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Christensen and Sen. McCoy absent for the vote.
    
    Sen. Mayne explained the substitute bill.

    The following individuals spoke in support of the bill.

            Shauna Brock, Independent Living Center
            Andrew Rittle, Disability Law Center

            Carma Seimo, Utah Agency on Aging
            Rickie Landers
            Kenneth Woolley
            
    Michael Hales, Director, Division of Health Care Financing, Utah Department of Health, answered questions about the bill.

     MOTION: Sen. Knudson moved to pass the substitute bill out favorably.

    The motion passed with Sen. Christensen and Sen. McCoy absent for the vote.

4.    H.B. 299 Nurse Practice Act Amendments (R. Lockhart)

    Rep. Lockhart explained the bill.

     MOTION: Sen. Knudson moved to pass the bill out favorably.

    The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Christensen absent for the vote.

5.    H.B. 249S1 Budget Priority for In-home and Community Based Long-term Care
    (E. Hutchings)

    Rep. Hutchings explained the bill.

     MOTION: Sen. Knudson moved to adjourn.
    
    The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Christensen absent for the vote..

Committee Chair Buttars adjourned the meeting at 9:38 a.m.

Minutes reported by Nedra Duzett, Secretary.



                    _______________________________________
                     Sen. D. Chris Buttars, Committee Chair