Arkansas Hospital Association Legislative Bulletin

Transcription

1 Arkansas Hospital Association Legislative Bulletin 2007, No. 1 DATE: January 12, 2007 TO: FROM: SUBJECT: AHA VoterVOICE Contacts Bo Ryall, Executive Vice President 86 TH Arkansas General Assembly The 86 th Arkansas General Assembly began Monday, January 8 th. Most of the activities during the first week are largely ceremonial, such as the legislators and the new governor being sworn in. Also, the Senate President Pro Tempore, Jack Critcher of Batesville, and the Speaker of the House, Benny Petrus of Stuttgart, were officially elected to their offices. The Speaker of the House also names his committee chairs on the first day of the legislative session, and we have listed those, as well as, the senate committee chairs at the end of this report. Almost all of legislation effecting hospitals will take place in the Senate and House of Representatives Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee, and we have added a list of membership of these two committees, and all of the senate and house committees as an attachment. Thank you for signing up for VoterVOICE, and we appreciate your help in contacting legislators about hospital issues as the session continues. Below, please find a summary of legislation of interest to all of us. ============================================================== Senate Bill 20 by Senator Denny Altes-Requires dispensers of Schedule II - V controlled substances to report certain information on all prescriptions to the DHHS- Division of Health, which shall maintain an electronic database for prescription monitoring purposes. Senate Bill 40 by Senator Kim Hendren-Requires all motorcycle riders (previously only those under age 21) to wear helmets. House Bill 1006 by Representative Johnny Key-Creates an alternative delivery system for Medicaid services utilizing "health opportunity accounts."

2 House Bill 1012 by Representative Bill Abernathy-Requires Crime Information Center and State Police to disseminate certain records of expunged offenses which disqualify persons from licensure and employment in certain fields (child welfare, nursing, social work, EMS, etc.) House Bill 1069 by Representative Will Bond-Establishes the Long-term Care Partnership Program, requiring the Dept. of Health and Human Services and the Insurance Commissioner to establish a process for certification of long-term care insurance policies that meet program requirements. House Bill 1083 by Representative George Overbey-Requires all motorcycle riders (previously only those under age 21) to wear helmets. House Bill 1101 by Representative Gregg Reep-Defines an authorized accrediting organization for hospitals as an organization that awards accreditation or certification to hospitals and has been recognized by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for deemed status. This is an AHA bill, and it gives flexibility to hospitals to choose another accrediting organization besides JCAHO, in order to still be recognized for deemed status. House Bill 1131 by Representative Sandra Prater-Creates the Legislative Commission on Traumatic Brain Injury and develops a statewide plan to ensure an appropriately prepared workforce to treat traumatic brain injuries. House Bill 1132 by Representative Sandra Prater-Creates the Arkansas Options for Long-Term Care Program within the Department of Health and Human Services to provide long-term care counseling; requires nursing facilities verify that consultation has been completed prior to admission. Senate Committee Chairs Children and Youth: Gilbert Baker, Chair, Sue Madison, Vice Chair Agriculture & Economic Development: Jim Luker, Chair; Ruth Whitaker, Vice Chair Budget: Shawn Womack, Chair; Irma Hunter Brown, Vice Chair City, County & Local: Irma Hunter Brown, Chair; Jerry Taylor, Vice Chair Education: Jim Argue, Chair; Dave Bisbee, Vice Chair Insurance: Paul Miller, Chair; Percy Malone, Vice Chair Judiciary: Ed Wilkinson, Chair; Shawn Womack, Vice Chair Public Health: Jack Critcher, Chair; Tracy Steele, Vice Chair Revenue and Taxation: Jim Hill, Chair; Bobby Glover, Vice Chair State Agencies: Steve Faris, Chair, Gilbert Baker, Vice Chair Transportation: Hank Wilkins, Chair; Sharon Trusty, Vice Chair

3 House of Representatives Committee Chairs Aging, Children and Youth: Linda Chesterfield, Chair; Dawn Creekmore, Vice Chair Agriculture & Economic Development: Tommy Dickinson, Chair; James Norton, Vice Chair Budget: Chris Thyer, Chair; Bruce Maloch, Vice Chair City, County & Local: Stephanie Flowers, Chair; David Johnson, Vice Chair Education: Mike Kenney, Chair; Bill Abernathy, Vice Chair Insurance: Sid Rosenbaum, Chair; David Wyatt, Vice Chair Judiciary: Robert Jeffrey, Chair; Mark pate, Vice Chair Public Health: Eddie Cooper, Chair; Johnnie Key, Vice Chair Revenue and Taxation: Kevin Anderson, Chair; Allen Maxwell, Vice Chair State Agencies: Jeff Wood, Chair, Rick Saunders, Vice Chair Transportation: Robbie Wills, Chair; Frank Glidewell, Vice Chair IMPORTANT INFORMATION You can obtain a tremendous amount of information regarding legislators and legislative activity on the Web by clicking on If you are on the AHA Web site at go to Legislative/Regulatory and click on Arkansas General Assembly. To use the VoterVOICE system for contacting public officials, go to the AHA Web site at and go to Legislative/Regulatory and click on VoterVOICE. If you have any question questions regarding legislative activity, please give us a call at Information about copies of bills, legislators, or questions about VoterVOICE should be addressed to Sandra Davis at the same telephone number. To determine the status of a particular bill, go to the General Assembly Web site at then click on Bills and Resolutions, click on Bill Status, enter the Bill Number, and click on Run Query. An attachment indicating members of the House and Senate committee assignments is provided for you! TELEPHONE NUMBERS House of Representatives Switchboard Senate Switchboard Letters may be sent to legislators while in legislative session at the addresses shown below: Representatives: Room 350, State Capitol, Little Rock, AR Senators: Room 320, State Capitol, Little Rock, AR 72201

4 2007 Arkansas Legislative Digest, Inc. Senate Standing Committees Senate Standing Committees EDUCATION Chair: Jim Argue Vice Chair: David Bisbee Members: Gilbert Baker, Shane Broadway, Steve Bryles, Kim Hendren, Gene Jeffress, Jimmy Jeffress JUDICIARY Chair: Ed Wilkinson Vice Chair: Shawn Womack Members: Irma Hunter Brown, Jim Luker, Sue Madison, Mary Anne Salmon, Robert Thompson, Ruth Whitaker PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE & LABOR Chair: Jack Critcher Vice Chair: Tracy Steele Members: Jack Crumbly, Barbara Horn, Randy Laverty, Percy Malone, Bill Pritchard, Hank Wilkins REVENUE AND TAXATION Chair: Jim Hill Vice Chair: Bobby Glover Members: Denny Altes, John Paul Capps, Steve Faris, Paul Miller, Terry Smith, Sharon Trusty AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Chair: Jim Luker Vice Chair: Ruth Whitaker Members: Steve Bryles, Shane Broadway, Jim Hill, Gene Jeffress, Jimmy Jeffress, Mary Anne Salmon CITY, COUNTY & LOCAL AFFAIRS Chair: Irma Hunter Brown Vice Chair: Jerry Taylor Members: Denny Altes, David Bisbee, Sue Madison, Tracy Steele, Robert Thompson, Sharon Trusty INSURANCE & COMMERCE Chair: Paul Miller Vice Chair: Percy Malone Members: Jim Argue, Paul Bookout, Jack Critcher, Barbara Horn, Bob Johnson, Terry Smith STATE AGENCIES & GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS Chair: Steve Faris Vice Chair: Gilbert Baker Members: Jack Crumbly, Bobby Glover, Randy Laverty, Bill Pritchard, Ed Wilkinson, Shawn Womack TRANSPORTATION, TECHNOLOGY & LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS Chair: Hank Wilkins Vice Chair: Sharon Trusty Members: Paul Bookout, John Paul Capps, Bobby Glover, Kim Hendren, Bob Johnson, Jerry Taylor House Standing Committees EDUCATION Chair: Mike Kenney Vice Chair: Bill Abernathy Members: Nancy Duffy Blount, Toni Bradford, Eddie Cheatham, David Cook, Tommy Dickinson, Curran Everett, Eric Harris, Janet Johnson, Michael Lamoureux, Mark Martin, James Norton, Benny Petrus, Betty Pickett, David Rainey, Sid Rosenbaum, Rick Saunders, Shirley Walters, Jeff Wood JUDICIARY Chair: Robert Jeffrey Vice Chair: Mark Pate Members: Tommy Lee Baker, Will Bond, Steven Breedlove, Earnest Brown, Jerry Brown, Aaron Burkes, Joan Cash, Lamont Cornwell, Steve Harrelson, David Johnson, Robert Moore, Tracy Pennartz, David Powers, Chris Thyer, Charolette Wagner, Kathy Webb, John Paul Wells, Jon Woods PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE & LABOR Chair: Eddie Cooper Vice Chair: Johnny Key 86 th General Assembly 1 1/12/2007

5 2007 Arkansas Legislative Digest, Inc. Members: Pam Adcock, Stan Berry, Mike Burris, Dawn Creekmore, Sharon Dobbins, Marilyn Edwards, Stephanie Flowers, Billy Gaskill, Rick Green, Willie Hardy, Eddie Hawkins, Jim Medley, Daryl Pace, Sandra Prater, Roy Ragland, Gregg Reep, Susan Schulte, Denny Sumpter REVENUE AND TAXATION Chair: Keven Anderson Vice Chair: Allen Maxwell Members: Linda Chesterfield, David Dunn, David Evans, Ed Garner, Nathan George, Clark Hall, Horace Hardwick, Wilhelmina Lewellen, Buddy Lovell, John Lowery, Bruce Maloch, George Overbey, Mike Patterson, Beverly Pyle, J.R. Rogers, Bill Sample, Lindsley Smith, Scott Sullivan TRANSPORTATION Chair: Robbie Wills Vice Chair: Frank Glidewell Members: Fred Allen, Larry Cowling, Monty Davenport, Otis Davis, Lenville Evans, Dan Greenberg, Jim House, John Hoyt, Donna Hutchinson, Barry Hyde, Ray Kidd, Bryan King, Bobby Pierce, Lance Reynolds, Johnnie Roebuck, Randy Stewart, Gene Shelby, David Wyatt AGING, CHILDREN & YOUTH Chair: Linda Chesterfield Vice Chair: Dawn Creekmore Members: Steven Breedlove, Aaron Burkes, Joan Cash, David Cook, Sharon Dobbins, Ed Garner, Billy Gaskill, Donna Hutchinson, Barry Hyde, Johnny Key, Bryan King, Michael Lamoureux, Tracy Pennartz, Bobby Pierce, David Powers, Johnnie Roebuck, J.R. Rogers, Randy Stewart AGRICULTURE Chair: Tommy Dickinson Vice Chair: James Norton Members: Fred Allen, Stan Berry, Mike Burris, Eddie Cooper, Monty Davenport, Lenville Evans, Curren Everett, Nathan George, Mike Kenney, John Lowery, Benny Petrus, Sandra Prater, Roy Ragland, Gregg Reep, Bill Sample, Lindsley Smith, Scott Sullivan, Robbie Wills CITY, COUNTY & LOCAL AFFAIRS Chair: Stephanie Flowers Vice Chair: David Johnson Members: Nancy Duffy Blount, Tommy Lee Baker, Toni Bradford, Jerry Brown, Lamont Cornwell, Larry Cowling, Eddie Hawkins, Jim House, John Hoyt, Ray Kidd, Jim Medley, Robert Moore, George Overbey, Mike Patterson, Beverly Pyle, Gene Shelby, Kathy Webb, Jon Woods INSURANCE & COMMERCE Chair: Sid Rosenbaum Vice Chair: David Wyatt Members: Bill Abernathy, Keven Anderson, Will Bond, Otis Davis, David Dunn, Frank Glidewell, Willie Hardy, Janet Johnson, Wilhelmina Lewellen, Bruce Maloch, Mark Martin, Allen Maxwell, Betty Pickett, David Rainey, Susan Schulte, Chris Thyer, Shirley Walters, John Paul Wells STATE AGENCIES Chair: Jeff Wood Vice Chair: Rick Saunders Members: Pam Adcock, Earnest Brown, Eddie Cheatham, Marilyn Edwards, David Evans, Rick Green, Dan Greenberg, Clark Hall, Horace Hardwick, Steve Harrelson, Eric Harris, Robert Jeffrey, Buddy Lovell, Daryl Pace, Mark Pate, Lance Reynolds, Denny Sumpter, Charolette Wagner 86 th General Assembly 2 1/12/2007