S.B. 20 Enrolled

1

LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY
2 FUNDING
3 2009 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Dennis E. Stowell
6 House Sponsor: Stephen D. Clark
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This bill modifies provisions relating to funding for emergency health expenses.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 . requires the Department of Health to establish a local health emergency assistance
14 program;
15 . establishes requirements for the program; and
16 . requires the Department of Health to submit an annual written report on program
17 activity to the Health and Human Services Interim Committee, with a copy of the
18 report to the designated appropriations subcommittee.
19 Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
20 None
21 Other Special Clauses:
22 None
23 Utah Code Sections Affected:
24 ENACTS:
25 26-1-38, Utah Code Annotated 1953
26
27 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
28 Section 1. Section 26-1-38 is enacted to read:
29 26-1-38. Local health emergency assistance program.

30 (1) As used in this section:
31 (a) "Local health department" has the same meaning as defined in Section 26A-1-102 .
32 (b) "Local health emergency" means an unusual event or series of events causing or
33 resulting in a substantial risk or substantial potential risk to the health of a significant portion
34 of the population within the boundary of a local health department.
35 (c) "Program" means the local health emergency assistance program that the
36 department is required to establish under this section.
37 (d) "Program fund" means money that the Legislature appropriates to the department
38 for use in the program and other money otherwise made available for use in the program.
39 (2) The department shall establish, to the extent of funds appropriated by the
40 Legislature or otherwise made available to the program fund, a local health emergency
41 assistance program.
42 (3) Under the program, the department shall:
43 (a) provide a method for a local health department to seek reimbursement from the
44 program fund for local health department expenses incurred in responding to a local health
45 emergency;
46 (b) require matching funds from any local health department seeking reimbursement
47 from the program fund;
48 (c) establish a method for apportioning money in the program fund to multiple local
49 health departments when the total amount of concurrent requests for reimbursement by
50 multiple local health departments exceeds the balance in the program fund; and
51 (d) establish by rule other provisions that the department considers necessary or
52 advisable to implement the program.
53 (4) Each September the department shall:
54 (a) submit to the Health and Human Services Interim Committee of the Legislature a
55 written report summarizing program activity, including:
56 (i) a description of the requests for reimbursement from local health departments
57 during the preceding 12 months;

58 (ii) the amount of each reimbursement made from the program fund to local health
59 departments; and
60 (iii) the current balance of the program fund; and
61 (b) submit a copy of the report required under Subsection (4)(a) to the appropriations
62 subcommittee designated by the Executive Appropriations Committee of the Legislature.
63 (5) (a) (i) Subject to Subsection (5)(a)(ii), the department shall use money in the
64 program fund exclusively for purposes of the program.
65 (ii) The department may use money in the program fund to cover its costs of
66 administering the program.
67 (b) Money that the Legislature appropriates to the program fund is nonlapsing.
68 (c) Any interest earned on money in the program fund shall be deposited to the
69 General Fund.