Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee - Senate

Before you there there again some some. Specific ways that you. Can you talk to the president pro tem and say. I can't attend public health meeting on Wednesday and the costs. My wife is sick my husband is sick I've got to put your coming down. With something. I mean there there are a lot of good reasons why not to. not to attend but again. You will have to go to. The president pro tem to get permission to do that then the protium will. Tell Senator Bledsoe said. Senator Wallace is out next Wednesday or whatever he's going to have to zoom in. Whatever. So that's kind of how level discussion All the rules do you you have questions or. Comment Sir. I'm just trying to summarize the important points. Thank you so much if you have questions later you can get in touch with the. Some of us and will not be able to answer questions but that is a serious thing to have that kind of responsibility so when you come and you tell me about your bills I'm going to keep going back to this point you know is this non controversial and the. I believe you the first time. Meeks said he or you should. So anyway all right let's introduce some very special guest and then after that introduce them we will start with the. And their words to you explaining what they do and and that type of thing but today we have the Arkansas department of health the secretary and that include stand that this is tied to Romero and we're thrilled to have you in the meeting thank you so much appreciate it all right and then we have his team is here if you will stand up as well large issue who is the attorney for a D. H. and then Matt Gilmore who is the is your title is this public health programs policy coordinate. I think it's called the liaison to the legislature effect okay. Thank you. I think people have already gotten in touch with you and pretty comfortable with the asking you questions and asking for your help so we're we're grateful for. The doctor Romero but law issue in that Gilmore to be here all right then next we have the syndicalists be who is the secretary of the department of Human Services it's so good to have you today. And I believe you have marked one eight he is an attorney chief legislative and intergovernmental affairs officer and chief of staff in the end we had Kendall Rogers who is the deputy chief chief of staff all right and let's see I guess that's that's it for that group we're so glad that we're all mature here. Shareholders. Okay yes next to the we have the Arkansas department of commerce with Dr Childress who is the director and division of workforce services go. And the. The city is Lisa Curtis here she's not here today all right she is the chief communication in legislative directory Director skis me for that. We would to have the Arkansas department of energy and environment and be here next week next week and the ladies and gentleman we do not need to amend the so your next meeting will be Wednesday January the twentieth Monday is the Martin Luther king Martin Luther king's birthday and we always take that day off. All right now going to remain at first. The state your name for the record. Jose Romero secretary of health. You are recognized thank you very much madam chairman. so thank you for having us here today I'm here to address any questions you might have allow me to take a minute or two to give you an overview of the bills that that we have proposed for the health department they are ten and number. Weekly first bill be deal with hepatitis C. and screening in pregnancy as a part of a a program for elimination of hepatitis C. within our state and the nation our cancer registry bill will moved to remove the board of health approval and accelerate data release for the benefit of the public and to our readers are physicians researchers radiation control it's in an update to meet the NRC standards trauma AS to add a stroke and STEMI to confidential review we would also like to have the bill on opioid fatality a notice a P. M. and D. I. P. T. M. P. evaluation of data and amended of hard copies in that area number seven would be for massage therapists to clarify a sexual misc are conduct prohibition number eight pharmacy board to remove nursing home consultants and pharmacy endorsement disease state management credentialing number nine is the Board of hearing and it would be to remove physician specializing in took the G. and are read Callagy and a number but members for a quorum. Actually the social work board the regarding a good moral character so I can discuss these further for take any questions that the members of the committee. All right to any of the members of the committee have any questions. Okay I don't see any so thank you so very much for your presentation today thank you thank you. Next we have for the secretary of the department of Human Services syndicalists be. You. For the record which. Syndicalists be secretary department of Human Services. I Mark services nineteen Q. you're recognized okay thanks looking forward very much to working with all of you this year I'll just give a brief overview of several pieces of legislation that we are working on right now that will likely come through public health. first and one that I know will will be non controversial is the re authorization of Arkansas Works I'm sure that will fit on the calendar very easily need to have a talk. and just to we are trying to meet individually with members that the with the with each of you to walk you through the current status of the program that are concepts around what would be included in legislation so I do appreciate the time that the all of you are giving as we reach out and ask for these meetings it It is greatly greatly appreciated as well as your input as we work our way through what every authorization of Arkansas Works could look like as all of you know we do want to focus in with what we do this time around health improvement outcomes as well as Economic independence of the of the beneficiaries on Arkansas works we are also looking to seek a resolution from the legislature in support of adding access to Medicaid coverage for Marshallese adults as you know Congress right at the end of December pass and the president signed a bill allowing states provide Medicaid coverage to eligible members of the Marshallese population so we we with the children we the legislature did a resolution in support of that so we would be asking for resolution again around that We are also working on a legislation to create a task force a legislative task force to review the state system for determining fitness responsibility and restoration for criminal defendants who raise the defense of mental disease or defect I do not know if that will go through public health or through Judiciary but this is an area where we have been working for some time to look at how Arkansas fits against other states in terms of individuals who go through a fitness and restoration examination process in the long term care space we will have several pieces of legislation we believe one is is around the ownership change of ownership for long term care facilities in the state and so we have been working through legislation that would enable date DHS to basically better prevent for management companies and operators with bad track records from acquiring operating long term facility long term care facilities another one in the long term care space is video or social media video taping or social media of long term credit care residents and this basically is prohibiting anyone from videotaping or posting images to social media of long term care facility residents without their consent. Then nursing home staffing requirements we are looking to simplify the reporting there right now we have duplicative reporting nursing homes report to the feds and they report to us and so we are looking to allow facilities to submit their staffing information to the federal systems and then for DHS to simply pull it from there and use that so that they don't have to double report we also have another one in the long term care space which is cleaning up language and clarifying authority of the Division of provider services and quality assurance that as you know some of you who have been here for several years remember this is this is a new division was created a few years ago and so we continue to clean up statutory language around that then the Somewhat related but not on the facility space registry checks for in home care givers this is really strengthening the requirements for abuse rector St checks for anyone who is providing income caregiver services paid for by Medicaid just that there's no question about that. And then lastly and Moving away from long term care or in home care victim impact panels we are looking to update the laws around that now in order to try to Strengthen and build more providers in that space and so as part of that we would be increasing the fee charged to them this is the fee charged to the individual whose driving privileges have been suspended or revoked for D. W. I. from ten dollars to forty dollars so that there be more funds to be available for a victim impact providers panel providers. And that's our list of. potential legislation that will come we think through public health possibly all right any questions from the committee. All right to send it to him when you're recognized for a question. Thank measures may be more directed toward the chair for Caroline do you think you'd be possible maybe you said and I just wasn't paying close attention apologize but could we get a list of all the bills that the agencies are gonna run through with the House or Senate bill number so we kinda separated from the pack and the study in that upper of I miss that just a minute let me confirm it with that Mr price it may be. Very laborious so let me just take. I'm sorry I couldn't question. Mr price said he thought that they could do that in the. I hope that maybe by next week nine next meeting on Wednesday we'll have that done that's a very good request thank you. Thank you so much we so appreciate you coming and we'll be seeing a lot of you. Thank you thank you for those of you if I could mention madam chair for those of you that are jealous of my mask yes you should the blue umbrella which is the store at DHS that sells items made by individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities we will be distributing those to all members of the house and Senate on the house and Senate floor either tomorrow or early next week I believe we have we have one for everyone. At some point thank you yes and I had been to the store ladies and gentleman and it is Leslie and you will find some birthday gifts and Valentine's day gifts so you man might want to come by there and and look. It's not just that the student all right thank you so very much The next we have the Arkansas department of commerce inducted to builders is with us today and we are excited about having you duck to two orders. Get into dishes for the record recognized. Thank you Senator Bledsoe thank you members of the committee. So regarding the legislation forward DWS bills have been filed as of. today this afternoon all draft legislation must be reviewed by the US department of labor to ensure that the proposed changes to Arkansas you all law are in conformity and federal law so this is draft legislation that is under review. R. a specific legislation to eight ten which is the DWS legacy agency that also includes adult education includes a bill for future rates and non charge a bill for the disclosure of confidential information a bill to address the stabilization tax and a bill to address the taxable wage base. I do not know which committee those bills will be assigned to just as you as you know it depends on the pleasure of the of the senator the house so I'll wait to see which committee those bills are signed to to give you just a little bit of information we do have a draft bill for the non charge of employer contributions and so that is being worked up which addresses Arkansas Code eleven ten seven oh three concerning employer rates and separate accounts regarding the employer's unemployment benefit contributions. Then the bill specific to disclosure of information this bill would maximize the allowable disclosures of confidential information taking advantage of the discretion disclosures and twenty CFR six of three currently our law limits disclosures to a list of state agencies especially in regard to disclosures to public officials so would expand and maximize our allowable disclosures of that information which is often requested in and can be helpful. The bill to modify the method by which Senate appointment stabilization taxes calculated that is specific to Arkansas law section eleven ten seven oh six. And then the bill to modify the definition of wages subject to unemployment taxation that bill is subject is specific to sections eleven ten to fifteen of Arkansas law and so again we're working on the details of those bills there are several other bills that obviously that we're tracking and that we are watching and will be available as needed. When I mentioned Date of yes legacy eight ten Arkansas rehabilitation services and disability our division of services for the blind is has a separate agency number and at five ten normally there legislation is not in this committee however we do have to bills that will be Filed soon for Arkansas rehabilitation services so. Those bills had to do with a I don't have them in front of me that is forgiveness technology forgiveness long is one of them so I expect that those committees made those bills may be and state agencies. All right of. Any questions from the committee. All right seeing none thank you so very much thank you Senator Bledsoe thank you members of the committee thank. All right to ladies and gentleman that completes our agenda just remember that we don't meet Monday that we will see you on Wednesday and to adjust to push it to being here and we are adjourned.