S.B. 33

1

ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE AND COVERAGE
2 TASK FORCE
3 2002 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Sponsor: Peter C. Knudson
6 This act creates the Access to Health Care and Coverage Task Force. The act specifies
7 membership, responsibilities, and reporting dates for the task force. The act appropriates
8 $37,000 from the General Fund for fiscal year 2001-02 to fund the task force and repeals the
9 task force on November 30, 2002.
10 This act enacts uncodified material.
11 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
12 Section 1. Access to health care and coverage -- Findings -- Creation -- Membership
13 -- Quorum -- Compensation -- Staff.
14 (1) There is created the Access to Health Care and Coverage Task Force consisting of the
15 following ten members:
16 (a) three members of the Senate appointed by the president of the Senate, no more than
17 two of whom may be from the same political party;
18 (b) five members of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker of the House
19 of Representatives, no more than three of whom may be from the same political party;
20 (c) the executive director of the Department of Health or his designee; and
21 (d) the commissioner of the Department of Insurance or his designee.
22 (2) (a) The president of the Senate shall designate a member of the Senate appointed under
23 Subsection (1)(a) as a cochair of the task force.
24 (b) The speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate a member of the House
25 of Representatives appointed under Subsection (1)(b) as a cochair of the task force.
26 (3) A majority of the members of the task force constitute a quorum. The action of a
27 majority of a quorum constitutes the action of the task force.

28 (4) (a) Salaries and expenses of the members of the task force who are legislators shall be
29 paid in accordance with Section 36-2-2 and Legislative Joint Rule 15.03.
30 (b) A member of the task force who is not a legislator may not receive compensation for
31 their work associated with the task force, but may receive per diem and reimbursement for travel
32 expenses incurred as a member of the task force at the rates established by the Division of Finance
33 under Sections 63A-3-106 and 63A-3-107 .
34 (5) The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall provide staff support to
35 the task force.
36 Section 2. Duties -- Interim report.
37 (1) The task force shall review and make recommendations on the following:
38 (a) options for improving access to health care coverage and access to primary care for
39 Utah's uninsured population that:
40 (i) focus attention on those who are most in need;
41 (ii) strike an appropriate and effective balance between private and public sector
42 approaches including employer, employee, and public sector partnerships; and
43 (iii) build on existing systems of proven effectiveness;
44 (b) the implementation and design of the Department of Health's "Covering the Uninsured
45 2000" grant process and recommendations; and
46 (c) the state's progress in implementing Medicaid waivers and health care access programs.
47 (2) (a) In reviewing and making its recommendations, the task force shall:
48 (i) receive input from stake holders in the health care system;
49 (ii) consider the costs and potential savings associated with each option it recommends
50 under Subsection (1)(a); and
51 (iii) consider the effect of each option recommended under Subsection (1)(a) on
52 cost-shifting, uncompensated care, and existing programs and systems.
53 (b) A final report, including any proposed legislation, shall be presented to the Health and
54 Human Services Interim Committee before November 30, 2002.
55 Section 3. Appropriation.
56 There is appropriated from the General Fund for fiscal year 2001-02:
57 (1) $4,500 to the Senate to pay for the compensation and expenses of senators on the task
58 force;

59 (2) $7,500 to the House of Representatives to pay for the compensation and expenses of
60 representatives on the task force; and
61 (3) $25,000 to the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel to pay for staffing
62 the task force.
63 Section 4. Repeal date.
64 This act is repealed November 30, 2002.




Legislative Review Note
as of 11-21-01 2:58 PM

A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel

Committee Note

The Health and Human Services Interim Committee recommended this bill.