S.B. 33 Enrolled

ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE AND COVERAGE
TASK FORCE
2002 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Sponsor: Peter C. Knudson
This act creates the Access to Health Care and Coverage Task Force. The act specifies
membership, responsibilities, and reporting dates for the task force. The act appropriates
$37,000 from the General Fund for fiscal year 2001-02 to fund the task force and repeals the
task force on November 30, 2002.
This act enacts uncodified material.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Access to health care and coverage -- Findings -- Creation -- Membership
-- Quorum -- Compensation -- Staff.
(1) There is created the Access to Health Care and Coverage Task Force consisting of the
following ten members:
(a) three members of the Senate appointed by the president of the Senate, no more than
two of whom may be from the same political party;
(b) five members of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker of the House
of Representatives, no more than three of whom may be from the same political party;
(c) the executive director of the Department of Health or his designee; and
(d) the commissioner of the Department of Insurance or his designee.
(2) (a) The president of the Senate shall designate a member of the Senate appointed under
Subsection (1)(a) as a cochair of the task force.
(b) The speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate a member of the House
of Representatives appointed under Subsection (1)(b) as a cochair of the task force.
(3) A majority of the members of the task force constitute a quorum. The action of a
majority of a quorum constitutes the action of the task force.
(4) (a) Salaries and expenses of the members of the task force who are legislators shall be
paid in accordance with Section 36-2-2 and Legislative Joint Rule 15.03.

(b) A member of the task force who is not a legislator may not receive compensation for
their work associated with the task force, but may receive per diem and reimbursement for travel
expenses incurred as a member of the task force at the rates established by the Division of Finance
under Sections 63A-3-106 and 63A-3-107 .
(5) The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall provide staff support to
the task force.
Section 2. Duties -- Interim report.
(1) The task force shall review and make recommendations on the following:
(a) options for improving access to health care coverage and access to primary care for
Utah's uninsured population that:
(i) focus attention on those who are most in need;
(ii) strike an appropriate and effective balance between private and public sector approaches
including employer, employee, and public sector partnerships; and
(iii) build on existing systems of proven effectiveness;
(b) the implementation and design of the Department of Health's "Covering the Uninsured
2000" grant process and recommendations; and
(c) the state's progress in implementing Medicaid waivers and health care access programs.
(2) (a) In reviewing and making its recommendations, the task force shall:
(i) receive input from stake holders in the health care system;
(ii) consider the costs and potential savings associated with each option it recommends under
Subsection (1)(a); and
(iii) consider the effect of each option recommended under Subsection (1)(a) on
cost-shifting, uncompensated care, and existing programs and systems.
(b) A final report, including any proposed legislation, shall be presented to the Health and
Human Services Interim Committee before November 30, 2002.
Section 3. Appropriation.
There is appropriated from the General Fund for fiscal year 2001-02:
(1) $4,500 to the Senate to pay for the compensation and expenses of senators on the task

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force;
(2) $7,500 to the House of Representatives to pay for the compensation and expenses of
representatives on the task force; and
(3) $25,000 to the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel to pay for staffing
the task force.
Section 4. Repeal date.
This act is repealed November 30, 2002.

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