CHAPTER 117
SB 161 – FINAL VERSION
03/12/2015 0797s
15Apr2015… 1179h
05/14/2015 1730EBA
2015 SESSION
15-0308
01/09
SENATE BILL 161
AN ACT relative to the wellness and primary prevention council.
SPONSORS: Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Rep. B. French, Merr 6; Rep. Gargasz, Hills 27; Rep. Gile, Merr 27
COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration
This bill makes certain changes to the membership and duties of the wellness and primary prevention council.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
03/12/2015 0797s
15Apr2015… 1179h
05/14/2015 1730EBA
15-0308
01/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Fifteen
AN ACT relative to the wellness and primary prevention council.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
117:1 Wellness and Primary Prevention Council; Purpose. Amend RSA 126-M:1, I(c) to read as follows:
(c) That New Hampshire cannot afford the enormous human and financial costs associated with child abuse and neglect, low [birthweight] birth weight babies, and poor school performance which crisis management efforts in many cases and in the long run can neither remedy nor alleviate.
117:2 New Paragraph; Wellness and Primary Prevention Council; Definition Added. Amend RSA 126-M:2 by inserting after paragraph II the following new paragraph:
III. “Family resource center of quality” means those family resource centers which have met the criteria required for designation by the council.
117:3 Wellness and Primary Prevention Council; Council Established; Membership. RSA 126-M:3, I is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
I. There is hereby established a wellness and primary prevention council which shall consist of 18 members as follows:
(a) Six members appointed by the governor, 4 of whom shall be representatives of family resource centers from geographically distinct areas, one of whom shall be a medical provider, and one of whom shall be a parent or consumer.
(b) One member of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house.
(c) One member of the senate, appointed by the senate president.
(d) The commissioner of health and human services, or designee.
(e) The commissioner of the department of education, or designee.
(f) The administrative judge of the district court, or designee.
(g) The attorney general, or designee.
(h) The director of the New Hampshire Early Childhood Advisory Council, or designee.
(i) The executive director of the New Hampshire Children’s Trust, or designee.
(j) The president of Family Support New Hampshire, or designee.
(k) The director of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, or designee.
(l) The executive director of New Futures, or designee.
(m) A representative of the National Alliance on Mental Illness New Hampshire, appointed by the alliance.
117:4 Wellness and Primary Prevention Council; Council Established. Amend RSA 126-M:3, II and III to read as follows:
II. The term of each member in subparagraphs (b)[, (c), (e), (f),] through (g)[, and (h)] shall
be coterminous with their term of office. The terms of the remaining members shall be for 3 years. Vacancies shall be filled for the remainder of the term in the same manner and from the same group as the original appointment.
III.(a) The council shall elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson from among its membership. The council shall establish rules of order and procedure, including quorum requirements, at its first meeting.
(b) Council members shall serve without compensation, provided that legislative members of the council shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the business of the council.
(c) The council shall, to the extent of available funds, [hire] seek a coordinator of wellness and primary prevention programs, to assist the council in the performance of its duties. The department of health and human services shall provide information and administrative support to the [coordinator] council as [the department may deem reasonable] is reasonable and requested by the council.
117:5 Wellness and Primary Prevention Council; Duties. Amend RSA 126-M:4, II to read as follows:
II. Assisting in the transmission of state and federal funds which are designated to be utilized in addressing issues related to the [well being] wellbeing of families and children in communities. The council may, among other things, assist executive branch agencies in contracting with family resource centers and other community programs to provide wellness and primary preventive services.
II-a. Developing standards of quality to be met to receive the designation as a family resource center of quality. An advisory group shall assist the council in assessing compliance with the standards of quality. The advisory group shall consist of council members and professionals in delivery of services associated with family resource centers. Final decisions of compliance with the criteria set forth by the council and the designation of family resource centers of quality shall be made by the council, in conjunction with the department of health and human services.
117:6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
Approved: June 8, 2015
Effective Date: August 7, 2015