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MINUTES OF THE
HOUSE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
ROOM 25, HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING, STATE CAPITOL COMPLEX
February 12, 2010


MEMBERS PRESENT:    Rep. Paul Ray, Chair
                Rep. Ronda R. Menlove, Vice Chair
                Rep. Trisha S. Beck
                Rep. Bradley M. Daw
                Rep. Phil Riesen
                Rep. Stephen E. Sandstrom
                Rep. Evan J. Vickers            
            
STAFF PRESENT:        Mark D. Andrews, Policy Analyst
                Thomas R. Vaughn, Associate General Counsel
                Sylvia Newton, House Secretary

Note:    A list of visitors and copy of handouts are filed with committee minutes.

Rep. Ray called the meeting to order at 8:08 a.m. The committee members, staff, and public then moved to Room 30 to accommodate the large group.

MOTION:    Rep. Riesen moved to approve the minutes of the February 9, 2010 meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Sandstrom absent for the vote.


S.B. 90S1    Mental Health Professional Practice Act Amendments (Sen. L. Hillyard)

Rep. Menlove presented the bill in the absence of Sen. Hillyard. Emily Bleyl, Executive Director, National Association of Social Workers for Utah, explained the bill.

MOTION:    Rep. Vickers moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 2, Lines 31 through 32 :    

             31          .    modifies license qualification requirements
  and supervision requirements       under the Substance Abuse Practice

             32      Act; and

2.    Page 2, Line 48 :    

             48          58-60-506, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2009, Chapter 183
      58-60-508, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 283      


3.    Page 3, Lines 66 through 71 :    

             66          (4)
  except as provided in Subsection (5),       provides documentation that the person has engaged in the lawful practice of the


             67
     profession for which licensure is sought for not less than 4,000 hours, of which 1,000 hours are
             68      in mental health therapy;
  (5) if the person is applying for a license to practice as a licensed substance abuse counselor, provides documentation that the person has:

(a) engaged in the lawful practice of the profession for not less than 4,000 hours; and
(b) has passed an examination approved by the division, by rule, to establish proficiency in the profession;  

             69          
{   (5)   }        (6)       has passed the profession specific jurisprudence examination if required of a new

             70      applicant; and
             71          
{   (6)   }        (7)       is of good moral character and professional standing, and has no disciplinary action


4.    Page 14, Line 416 :    

             416      Subsection (2) or (3).
    
  Section 12. Section 58-60-508 is amended to read:      

     58-60-508 .   Core functions of the mental health therapist supervisor.
     (1) Each supervisor of licensed substance abuse counselors shall:
     (a) be a licensed mental health therapist qualified by education and experience to treat substance abuse;
     (b) be currently working in the substance abuse treatment field;
     (c) review substance abuse counselor assessment procedures;
     (d) provide substance abuse diagnosis and other mental health diagnoses in accordance with Subsection 58-60-102 (7);
     (e) participate in the development of a treatment plan;
     (f) approve the treatment plan; and
     (g) provide direct supervision for not more than five persons, unless granted an exception in writing from the board and the division.
     (2) Each supervisor of a certified substance abuse counselor, certified substance abuse counselor intern, or certified substance abuse counselor extern shall:
     (a)
  (i)       be a licensed substance abuse counselor with        :

    (A) until July 1, 2011,  
at least one year of experience as a licensed substance abuse counselor;        or

    (B)    beginning on July 1, 2011, at least two years of experience as a licensed

substance abuse counselor; or
    (ii)    be a licensed mental health therapist qualified by education and experience to treat substance abuse;  


     (b) be currently working in the substance abuse field; and
     (c) provide direct supervision for no more than three persons, unless granted an exception in writing from the board and the division.

The motion to amend the bill passed unanimously with Rep. Sandstrom absent for the vote.

Spoke to the bill:    Diane Jackson, president-elect, Utah Mental Health Counselors Association

MOTION:    Rep. Beck moved to pass 1st Substitute S.B. 90 as amended with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Sandstrom absent for the vote.

Rep. Ray relinquished the chair to Rep. Menlove.


H.B. 196    Tobacco Tax Revisions (Rep. P. Ray)

MOTION:    Rep. Ray moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 1, Line 14 through Page 2, Line 30 :    

             14          .    increases the tax rate for the sale, use, storage, or distribution of tobacco products in
             15      the state, for the 2010-11 fiscal year, as follows:
             16              .    for cigarettes weighing not more than three pounds per thousand cigarettes,
             17      from 3.475 cents per cigarette to
{   6.55   }        8.5       cents per cigarette;

             18              .    for cigarettes weighing in excess of three pounds per thousand cigarettes, from
             19      4.075 cents per cigarette to
{   7.68   }        9.963       cents per cigarette;

             20              .    for tobacco products, except moist snuff, from 35% to 66% of the
             21                  manufacturer's sales price; and
             22              .    for moist snuff, from $.75 to $1.41 per ounce;
             23          .    sets the tax rate for the sale, use, storage, or distribution of tobacco products in the
             24      state, for each
  third       year after the 2010-11 fiscal year, as follows:


             25
             .    for cigarettes weighing not more than three pounds per thousand cigarettes, at
{   one-tenth   }        the greater of the rate for the preceding state fiscal year or one-half      

             26      of one cent above the national average rate, excluding certain tobacco
             27      producing states;
             28              .    for cigarettes weighing in excess of three pounds per thousand cigarettes, at a
             29      rate that is
{   1.173   }        1.409       times higher than the rate described in the preceding

             30      paragraph;

2.    Page 2, Lines 36 through 37 :    

             36          .    allocates, on an annual basis,
{   $1,000,000   }        $250,000       of the funds generated by the tax increase

             37      in this bill to the Department of Health for the Gold Medal Schools Program; and

3.    Page 2, Line 55 through Page 3, Line 76 :    

             55          (2) The rates of the tax levied under Subsection (1) are:
             56          (a) beginning on July 1, 2010, and ending on June 30, 2011:
             57          [(a) 3.475] (i)
{   6.55   }        8.5       cents on each cigarette, for all cigarettes weighing not more than

             58      three pounds per thousand cigarettes; and
             59          [(b) 4.075] (ii)
{   7.68   }        9.963       cents on each cigarette, for all cigarettes weighing in excess of

             60      three pounds per thousand cigarettes[.];
             61          (b) beginning on July 1 of
{   each   }        every third       state fiscal year after the 2010-11 fiscal year, for all

             62      cigarettes weighing not more than three pounds per thousand cigarettes,
{   as calculated under

             63      Subsection (3)  
}
  the greater of:

(i) the rate for the preceding state fiscal year; or
(ii) the rate calculated under Subsection (3)  
; and

             64          (c) beginning on July 1 of
{   each   }        every third       state fiscal year after the 2010-11 fiscal year, for all

             65      cigarettes weighing in excess of three pounds per thousand cigarettes, calculated by:
             66          (i) multiplying the rate that is calculated under Subsection (3) by
{   1.173   }        1.409       ; and


             67
         (ii) rounding the product of the calculation described in Subsection (2)(c)(i) to the
             68      nearest thousandth of one cent.
             69          (3)
{   Beginning in 2011, on   }        On       or before April 1 of      {   each year   }        2013, and on or before April 1 of each third year after 2013,       the tax commission shall

             70      calculate the tax rate described in Subsection (2)(b) by:
             71          (a) determining the sum of the state tax rates, as the rates were on January 1 of that
             72      year, for the cigarettes described in Subsection (2)(b), for each state of the United States,
             73      except Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia;
             74          (b) dividing the sum described in Subsection (3)(a) by 44 and rounding the result to the
             75      nearest thousandth of one cent; and
             76          (c) adding
{   one-tenth   }        one-half       of one cent to the rounded amount described in Subsection (3)(b).


4.    Page 4, Lines 99 through 101 :    

             99          (e)
{   One million   }        S250,000       dollars of the revenue generated from the tax increase imposed under

             100      this section during the
{   2009   }        2010       General Session shall be annually appropriated to the Department

             101      of Health for use in the Gold Medal Schools program.

The motion to amend the bill passed with Rep. Daw voting in opposition to the motion and Rep. Sandstrom absent for the motion.

Rep. Ray explained H.B. 196 as amended, assisted by Mary Beckerle, Huntsman Cancer Institute.

Spoke in favor of the bill:    Dr. Glen Hanson, Addiction Center, University of Utah
                        Laura Polacheck, Utah Alliance for Tobacco Free Living (handout)
                        Alan Pruhs, Association for Utah Community Health

Spoke in opposition to the bill:    Joyce Mitchell, citizen
                            Dave Davis, Utah Retail Merchants Association
                            Royce Van Tassell, Utah Taxpayers Association

MOTION:    Rep. Riesen moved to pass H.B. 196 as amended with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed with Rep. Daw and Rep. Sandstrom voting in opposition to the motion.




Rep. Daw assumed the chair.


H.B. 186    Controlled Substance Database Revisions (Rep. R. Menlove)


MOTION:    Rep. Menlove moved to adopt 1st Substitute H.B. 186, Controlled Substance Database Revisions. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Sandstrom and Rep. Ray absent for the vote.

Rep. Menlove explained the substitute bill, assisted by Michael Hales, Utah Department of Health.

Spoke in favor of the bill:        Mark Steinagel, Director, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, Department of Commerce

MOTION:    Rep. Vickers moved to pass the bill with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Sandstrom and Rep. Ray absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Riesen moved to place 1st Substitute H.B. 186 on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Sandstrom and Rep. Ray absent for the vote.


H.B. 299    Amendments Related to Substances Harmful to Pregnancy (Rep. R. Menlove)

Rep. Menlove explained the bill to the committee, assisted by Julia Robertson, Utah Department of Health.

Spoke in favor of the bill:    Mark Shurtleff, Attorney General of Utah
                    Steve McDonald, March of Dimes

MOTION:    Rep. Riesen moved to pass the bill with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Sandstrom and Rep. Ray absent for the vote

MOTION:    Rep. Riesen moved to place H.B. 299 on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Sandstrom and Rep. Ray absent for the vote






H.C.R. 9    Autism, Disabilities, and Faith Concurrent Resolution (Rep. R. Menlove)

MOTION:    Rep. Menlove moved to amend the resolution as follows:

1.    Page 2, Lines 53 through 58 :    

             53          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to
  the Coalition of Religious Communities,       the Salt Lake

             54      Interfaith Roundtable, the Utah Parent Center, the Autism Council of Utah, Family Voices, the
             55      Utah Developmental Disabilities Council, Allies with Families, the National Alliance for
             56      Mental Illness Utah, the Autism Initiative and the Children with Special Health Care Needs
             57      Bureau at the Utah Department of Health, the Utah Statewide Independent Living Council, the
             58      Disability Law Center, and the Legislative Coalition for People with Disabilities.

The motion to amend the resolution passed unanimously with Rep. Sandstrom and Rep. Ray absent for the vote.

Rep. Menlove explained H.C.R. 9 as amended.

MOTION:    Rep. Beck moved to pass the resolution with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Sandstrom and Rep. Ray absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Beck moved to place H.C.R. 9 on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Sandstrom absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Vickers moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Sandstrom absent for the vote.

Rep. Daw adjourned the meeting at 9:56 a.m.




                        __________________
                        Rep. Paul Ray
                        Committee Chair