Date: 02/06/2014

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB14-1117

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, INSURANCE, & ENVIRONMENT

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Refer House Bill 14-1117 to the Committee of the WPASS



02:02 PM -- HB 14-1117

Representative Schafer presented House Bill 14-1117. The bill creates the Premature Birth Commission in the Department of Public Health and Environment (DPHE). The commission is tasked with developing strategies the state may use to reduce premature births. Under the bill, the executive director of the DPHE will appoint up to 12 members to the commission by July 1, 2014, and the commission must meet at least once by July 31, 2014. Commission members will be professionals and experts working in the maternal and child health field. The commission serves without compensation or reimbursement. By December 1, 2014, the commission must present recommendations to the DPHE. The DPHE will be responsible for submitting a final report to the General Assembly by January 31, 2015. The commission will be repealed on February 1, 2015. Representative Schafer relayed statistics concerning premature births, including the economic impact of premature births.


02:11 PM

Representative Schafer responded to questions about whether there would be rural involvement on the commission, the mission of the commission, and whether legislation is necessary to achieve the desired results. Representative Ginal discussed the March of Dimes.


02:20 PM -- Scott Matthews, representing the March of Dimes, testified in support of the bill. He discussed the March of Dimes' efforts to address premature births.


02:24 PM -- Eliza Schultz, representing DPHE, testified in support of the bill. She discussed the fiscal note. Ms. Schultz responded to questions about the timeline for the required report.


02:26 PM -- Cassidy Dellemonache, representing the Arc of Colorado, testified in support of the bill and encouraged the inclusion of a representative of the developmentally disabled community on the commission.


02:28 PM

The committee discussed the bill. Representative Schafer made final comments on the bill.


BILL:HB14-1117
TIME: 02:32:19 PM
MOVED:Schafer
MOTION:Refer House Bill 14-1117 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 10-1.
SECONDED:Ginal
VOTE
Fields
Yes
Ginal
Yes
Humphrey
Yes
Joshi
No
Landgraf
Yes
McNulty
Yes
Primavera
Yes
Singer
Yes
Swalm
Yes
Schafer
Yes
McCann
Yes
Final YES: 10 NO: 1 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS