| TO: | Honorable Jane Nelson, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services |
| FROM: | John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB969 by Nelson (Relating to the establishment of the Public Health Funding and Policy Advisory Committee within the Department of State Health Services.), As Introduced |
The bill amends the Health and Safety Code by adding Chapter 117, which establishes the Public Health Funding and Policy Advisory Committee (Committee).
The Committee would define and make recommendations to the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) on the core public health functions all local health departments should provide, evaluate public health in the state and areas that need improvement, identify funding available to perform these functions, and recommend policy priorities for DSHS to use in allocating money available for core public health services. The bill specifies that the Committee meet at least monthly; however, to ensure appropriate representation from all areas of this state, the committee may meet by videoconference or telephone conference call.
The bill would not allow for compensation or reimbursement for travel expenses for Committee members, and the bill directs the use of existing administrative staff to provide administrative and consultative support to the Committee. Given these provisions it is assumed that any costs associated with the establishment and administration of the new Committee could be absorbed within existing agency resources.
| Source Agencies: | 529 Health and Human Services Commission, 537 State Health Services, Department of
|
| LBB Staff: | JOB, CL, MB, JF, NB
|