HB 417 – AS INTRODUCED

2013 SESSION

13-0525

01/04

HOUSE BILL 417

AN ACT establishing a commission to study creating a New Hampshire plan for Alzheimer’s disease.

SPONSORS: Rep. Long, Hills 42

COMMITTEE: Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

ANALYSIS

This bill establishes a commission to study creating a New Hampshire plan for Alzheimer’s disease.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

13-0525

01/04

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Thirteen

AN ACT establishing a commission to study creating a New Hampshire plan for Alzheimer’s disease.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Subdivision; Commission to Study Creating a New Hampshire Plan for Alzheimer’s disease. Amend RSA 161-F by inserting after section 80 the following new subdivision:

Commission to Study Creating a New Hampshire Plan for Alzheimer’s Disease

161-F:81 Commission Established; Duties; Report.

I. There is established a commission to study creating a New Hampshire Plan for Alzheimer’s disease. The members of the commission shall be as follows:

(a) Two members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

(b) One member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.

(c) The commissioner of the department of health and human services, or designee.

(d) The attorney general, or designee.

(e) A representative of the Alzheimer’s Association, appointed by the association.

(f) A representative of the New Hampshire Medical Society, appointed by the society.

(g) The following persons appointed by the governor:

(1) A person who has Alzheimer’s disease.

(2) A caregiver of a person who has Alzheimer’s disease.

(3) A representative of the nursing facility industry.

(4) A representative of the assisted living industry.

(5) A representative of the adult day care services industry.

(6) An Alzheimer’s disease researcher.

(h) A representative of the New Hampshire Nurse Practitioner Association, appointed by the association.

(i) A researcher with Alzheimer’s-related expertise in basic transitional, clinical, or drug development science.

II. Legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.

III.(a) The commission shall develop a New Hampshire plan for Alzheimer’s disease and shall recommend legislation for implementing the plan. In developing the plan, the commission may:

(1) Review other states plans for Alzheimer’s disease.

(2) Survey persons with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias for purposes of having proper estimates of the number of persons in the state with such disease.

(3) Study existing services, resources, and capacity, including but not limited to the:

(A) Type, cost, and availability of dementia services.

(B) Dementia-specific training requirements for long-term care staff.

(C) Quality care measures for residential care facilities.

(D) Capacity of public safety and law enforcement to respond to persons with Alzheimer’s disease.

(E) Availability of home and community-based resources for persons with Alzheimer’s disease and respite care to assist families.

(F) Inventory of long-term care dementia care units.

(G) Adequacy and appropriateness of geriatric-psychiatric units for persons with behavior disorders associated with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.

(H) Assisted living residential options for persons with dementia.

(I) State support of Alzheimer’s disease research through New Hampshire universities and other resources.

(4) Determine state policies or responses that are necessary, including, but not limited to, directions to provide clear and coordinated services and supports to persons and families living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and strategies to address any identified gaps in services.

(b) The commission may solicit information from any source the commission deems relevant to its development of the state plan.

IV. The members of the commission shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting of the commission shall be called by the first-named house member. The first meeting of the commission shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. Seven members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.

V. The commission shall report its findings and recommendations for proposed legislation to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the house clerk, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2013.

2 Repeal. RSA 161-F:81, relative to creating a New Hampshire plan for Alzheimer’s disease, is repealed.

3 Effective Date.

I. Section 2 of this act shall take effect November 1, 2013.

II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.