Senate Committee on Health and Human Services (03/18/2009)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Date:	03/18/2009	ATTENDANCE

Time:	10:53 AM to 11:30 AM	Carroll M.	X
		Lundberg	X
Place:	SCR 356	Mitchell	X
		Morse	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Newell	*
	Senator Boyd	Schultheis	X
		Tochtrop	X
This Report was prepared by		Boyd	X
	Elizabeth Burger
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
HB09-1116 HB09-1297		Referred to Appropriations Referred to the Committee of the Whole

10:54 AM -- House Bill 09-1116

Senator Hudak introduced House Bill 09-1116. The bill removes a statutory ban on the appropriation of General Fund moneys to the Children's Dental Assistance Program. She clarified that the bill does not contain an appropriation. She described the health problems associated with the lack of dental care, and cited data regarding the lack of dental care for children.

10:57 AM -- Theresa Anselmo, Oral Health Program Director at the Department of Public Health, testified in support of the bill. She discussed the preventative sealant program overseen by the department. She stated the program is effective in preventing dental decay, but that only 10 percent of the eligible children can receive services through the program due to a lack of funding. She responded to questions from Senator Lundberg regarding federal funding for dental programs for children and federal stimulus moneys that could possibly fund dental services.

11:02 AM -- Jennifer Goodrum, representing the Colorado Dental Association, testified in support of the bill. She stated that the bill increases the availability of preventative dental care, which can prevent complicated dental problems in the future.

11:04 AM -- Tara Trujillo, representing the Colorado Children's Campaign, testified in support of the bill and relayed a number of statistics regarding dental care among low-income and minority children. She stated that preventative dental care can prevent costly services in the future.

11:06 AM -- Julie Collett, representing Kids in Need of Dentistry, testified regarding sealant programs offered by Kids in Need of Dentistry.

11:08 AM -- Dr. Ned Calonge, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Public Health and Environment, distributed a handout in support of the bill (Attachment A). He stated that the bill supports preventative dental care, which can prevent costly problems in the future. He clarified that while the bill does not appropriate money, it does open the door to future General Fund support of the program. He discussed the number of children who participated in the Children's Dental Assistance Program in the prior year. Dr. Calonge responded to questions from Senator Mitchell regarding the services provided through the program. Senator Hudak commented on the importance of sealants for the children served through the program.

11:19 AM

Senator Hudak gave concluding remarks regarding the bill.


BILL:	HB09-1116
TIME:	11:20:02 AM
MOVED:	Tochtrop
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 09-1116 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a 5-3 roll call vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Carroll M.	Yes
	Lundberg	No
	Mitchell	No
	Morse	Yes
	Newell	Yes
	Schultheis	No
	Tochtrop	Yes
	Boyd	Yes

Final YES: 5 NO: 3 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

11:22 AM -- House Bill 09-1297

Senator Mitchell introduced House Bill 09-1297. The bill alters the membership requirements of the Advisory Committee on the Licensing of Child Care Facilities. It allows members to be reappointed to successive terms, and allows a member to remain on the committee until a new successor is appointed by the governor. Senator Mitchell responded to questions from Senator Schultheis regarding the appointments of the members by the governor.


BILL:	HB09-1297
TIME:	11:29:11 AM
MOVED:	Mitchell
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 09-1297 to the Committee of the Whole with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. The motion passed on an 8-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Carroll M.	Yes
	Lundberg	Yes
	Mitchell	Yes
	Morse	Yes
	Newell	Yes
	Schultheis	Yes
	Tochtrop	Yes
	Boyd	Yes

Final YES: 8 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

11:30 AM

The committee recessed.