Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Date:04/29/2015
ATTENDANCE
Time:12:09 PM to 01:43 PM
Aguilar
X
Martinez Humenik
X
Place:SCR 352
Newell
*
Crowder
*
This Meeting was called to order by
Lundberg
X
Senator Lundberg
This Report was prepared by
Elizabeth Haskell
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
HB15-1355
HB15-1281
HB15-1359
HB15-1352		Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar
Referred to Appropriations
Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar
Referred to the Committee of the Whole


12:09 PM -- HB 15-1355

Senator Marble and Senator Newell presented House Bill 15-1355, concerning family history access to birth and personal records. The bill allows an adult adoptee to obtain direct access to a non-certified copy of an unaltered original birth certificate and the amended birth certificate of an adult sibling or half-sibling who was born, relinquished, or adopted in Colorado. To have access to these documents, the adult adoptee must show proof of at least one common birth parent between him or herself and a sibling or half-sibling. Further, access to these documents is subject to the existing statutory restriction that all siblings adopted in a sibling group must reach the age of 18 before the birth certificates may be released. A descendant or legal representative of an adult adoptee is also eligible to request these documents. The bill also allows direct access to certain unredacted personal records pertaining to a person who was a minor child in the custody of the State Home for Dependent and Neglected Children, regardless of his or her adoption status, to the former ward. Access to these records is given to the former wards in the state home, their spouses, siblings, descendants, and legal representatives. Covered personal records include those relating to the custody, relinquishment, or adoption of a former ward, including personally identifying information about the parents of the ward. Pre-relinquishment counseling records will remain confidential. The bill applies to records held by a court, state agency, or the legal representative of a court or state agency. Licensed child placement agencies are not included as a custodian of records under the bill.

12:11 PM -- Rich Uhrlaub, Adoptees in Search, testified in support of the bill.


12:11 PM

Senator Marble and Senator Newell made closing comments.
BILL:HB15-1355
TIME: 12:12:30 PM
MOVED:Newell
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1355 to the Committee of the Whole with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. The motion passed on a vote of 5-0.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Aguilar
Yes
Martinez Humenik
Yes
Newell
Yes
Crowder
Yes
Lundberg
Yes
Final YES: 5 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

12:13 PM -- HB 15-1281

Senator Hodge presented House Bill 15-1281, concerning newborn heart defect screening. The bill requires that all newborns born in a Colorado facility below an elevation of 7,000 feet on or after January 1, 2016, be screened for congenital health defects using pulse oximetry prior to being released from the birthing center. The Newborn Screening Council within the Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) must evaluate whether or not the pulse oximetry testing in birthing facilities at or above elevations of 7,000 feet meet the CDPHE newborn screening criteria. Each facility must report pulse oximetry screening results to the Newborn Screening Council.

12:14 PM -- Dr. Marci Sontag, Colorado School of Public Health - University of Colorado, spoke in support of the bill. She discussed current newborn screenings and research being done to verify that pulse oximetry testing accurately detects heart defects at altitude.

12:22 PM -- Dr. Jason Wright, Children's Hospital Colorado, spoke in support of the bill. He discussed the complications of critical congenital heart disease and his experience working with newborns with congenital heart defects.

12:27 PM -- Dr. Mary Kohn, University of Colorado Hospital, spoke in support of the bill. She explained that University Hospital decided to test newborns once the pulse oximetry test was identified as being accurate in Colorado at altitudes below 7,000 feet. She told the committee that since the implementation of testing at the hospital, and the beneficial outcomes of the testing.

12:32 PM -- Katherine Mulready, Colorado Hospital Association, spoke in support of the bill. She told the committee that rural hospitals did not oppose the testing.

12:34 PM -- Gretchen Whitehurst, representing herself, spoke about her son's experience as a child who was born with a congenital heart defect. She spoke in support of the bill.


12:39 PM

Senator Hodge made closing comments. Committee members commented on the bill.
BILL:HB15-1281
TIME: 12:39:46 PM
MOVED:Crowder
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1281 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 4-1.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Aguilar
Yes
Martinez Humenik
Yes
Newell
Yes
Crowder
Yes
Lundberg
No
Final YES: 4 NO: 1 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

12:42 PM -- HB 15-1359

Senator Kefalas and Senator Martinez Humenik presented House Bill 15-1359, concerning savings programs for persons with disabilities. The reengrossed bill establishes authority in the Colorado Department of Higher Education (DHE) to create the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) savings program for qualified individuals with disabilities. The ABLE program must comply with the 529A requirements set forth by the Internal Revenue Service and federal securities laws. The bill specifies powers and duties of the DHE to implement the ABLE savings program, including requirements concerning contributions, withdrawals, and account management. Distributions from an ABLE savings program account that are excluded from federally taxable income are also excluded from state taxable income. A handout about the bill was provided to the committee (Attachment A).

150429 AttachA.pdf150429 AttachA.pdf

12:44 PM -- Connor Long, representing himself, spoke in support of the bill. He told the committee about his experience being an ambassador for individuals with disabilities and his desire to continue his education.

12:47 PM -- Angela Baier, CollegeInvest, spoke in support of the bill. She spoke about the existing programs offered by CollegeInvest and responded to questions about how the savings accounts comply with the federal tax code.


12:54 PM

Senator Martinez Humenik and Senator Kefalas made closing comments.
BILL:HB15-1359
TIME: 12:55:35 PM
MOVED:Martinez Humenik
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1359 to the Committee of the Whole with a recommendation that it be placed on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed on a vote of 5-0.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Aguilar
Yes
Martinez Humenik
Yes
Newell
Yes
Crowder
Yes
Lundberg
Yes
Final YES: 5 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

12:57 PM -- HB 15-1352

Senator Crowder and Senator Newell presented House Bill 15-1352, concerning naturopathic doctor formulary changes. The bill expands the authority of registered naturopathic doctor in a variety of ways, including the ability to obtain medication from a registered or licensed drug outlet, administer medication, and dispense medication to patients. Specifically, the expanded authority applies to the following:


12:58 PM -- Larry Sarner, representing himself, spoke in opposition of the bill. Mr. Sarner provided handouts about sterile water injections and sodium chloride injections to the committee (Attachments B and C).

150429 AttachB.pdf150429 AttachB.pdf150429 AttachC.pdf150429 AttachC.pdf

12:59 PM -- Linda Rosa, representing herself, spoke in opposition to the bill. She discussed her concerns about allowing naturopathic doctors to administer injectable products and provided a handout to the committee (Attachment D). Ms. Rosa responded to questions about the need for a prescription for epinephrine.

150429 AttachD.pdf150429 AttachD.pdf





01:06 PM -- Mark Cooper, Colorado Association of Naturopathic Doctors, spoke in support of the bill. He discussed his position that naturopathic doctors need to have the authority to inject antiseptics. Committee discussion followed about the existing authority of naturopathic doctors to use epinephrine for allergic reactions, the established standards for education and training for naturopathic doctors, and the medically accepted protocol of injecting vitamins B6 and B12.

01:24 PM

Committee discussion followed about expanding the practice authority of naturopathic doctors, the history of naturopathic doctor regulation in Colorado, and the proper use of the procedures referred to in the bill.

01:29 PM

Senator Newell and Senator Crowder addressed committee concerns and made closing comments.

01:33 PM

Chris Gassen, Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, responded to committee questions about the wholesale distribution of pharmaceuticals and the administration of vaccines by pharmacists. Committee members commented on the bill.
BILL:HB15-1352
TIME: 01:36:49 PM
MOVED:Aguilar
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.002. The motion failed on a vote of 2-3.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Aguilar
Yes
Martinez Humenik
Yes
Newell
No
Crowder
No
Lundberg
No
YES: 2 NO: 3 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL

BILL:HB15-1352
TIME: 01:43:03 PM
MOVED:Crowder
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1352 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 3-2.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Aguilar
No
Martinez Humenik
No
Newell
Yes
Crowder
Yes
Lundberg
Yes
YES: 3 NO: 2 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

01:43 PM

The committee adjourned.