LEGISLATIVE CONNECTION

Republicans Call for Spending Tobacco Settlement on Health Care

Republicans leaders proposed spending most of the tobacco settlement on health care. Their proposals include:

• $6.45 million to create better access to health care by increasing reimbursement rates for Medicare primary care services.
• $4.32 million to raise the reimbursements for providers of services to physically and mentally challenged Iowans.
• $4.3 million to improve access for dental services for Medicaid recipients.
• $3.6 million for reimbursements to providers of rehabilitative and other services for children.
• $2.4 million to ensure access to home health care by improving Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements.
• $2.3 million to ensure access to hospital care by improving Medicaid reimbursements.
• $$1 million in increased reimbursements to providers of other services.
• $500,000 to support the rural Critical Hospital Access program

• $9.36 million for teen smoking prevention programs.
• $2.5 million for substance abuse treatment
• $418,000 to replace federal funds in CBCs and other rehabilitative programs
• $400,000 for a poison control center.
• $300,000 for core public health functions such as disease surveillance.
• $300,00 for the co-ordination of emergency medical services.
• $192,000 for drug courts.

• $9.0 million to be placed in a trust fund

Republican leaders released their budget targets on Wednesday, March 1. They said their plan still increases state spending by $110 million without using reversions to balance the budget. Speaker Siegriest said the budget reflects the priorities of the Republicans. Senator McLaren said the Republicans are spending about $10 million less than allowed under the 99% spending limitation.

For the Health and Human Rights Appropriation the recommendations are:

FY 2000 (current year) FY 2001 Tobacco Funds

$95,082,788 $87,582,788 $20,345,394

This reflects a decrease in general fund spending of approximately $16 million and replacement with tobacco dollars. In general this limits the amount of new dollars spent in the Health budget.

For the Human Services Appropriations (which includes Medicaid), the recommendations are:

FY 2000 (current year) FY 2001 Tobacco Funds

$791,914,776 $799,914,776 $24,900,000

Majority Leader Rants said that the Republicans will offer targeted tax cuts but are unlikely to offer an across-the-board tax cut.

There is concern about whether the budget targets will sufficiently address the health care needs of Iowans.

About thirty nursing students participated in "Experiencing the Legislative Process" on Wednesday, March 1. They spent the day getting acquainted with their legislators and discussing nursing issues. In the evening many of them attended the INA Legislative Program along with INA members and other registered nurses. There were 140 participants.

Governor Tom Vilsack keynoted the evening and spoke about his priorities for consumers: expanding the HAWK-I program, increasing funding for public health nursing and home care aide services and seeking parity in health insurance coverage for mental health and substance abuse services. He discussed the budget targets and the Republican’s proposed use of the tobacco settlement funds. Dr. Stephen Gleason, Director of the Department of Public Health, discussed the dramatic impact on health programs that the Republican’s proposal would have. He highlighted the serious health needs in the state. He discussed the two advisory committees he was pulling together to address consumer advocacy issues. Susan Voss, Deputy Director of the Insurance Division, discussed the Managed Care Patient Bill of Rights’ administrative rules for External Review.

Lorinda Inman, Executive Director, Iowa Board of Nursing, reviewed the Board of Nursing’s regulations on delegation of nursing tasks. She stressed the accountability of the registered nurse and reviewed the delegation grid as adopted by the Board of Nursing in 1996. A panel discussion was held on staffing in various health settings. Speaking to this issue was: Mary Moser, ER nurse at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo, Elaine Cook, Director of Nursing at a nursing home in Iowa, and Janelle Nielson, Assistant Administrator and Director of Nursing at Myrtue Memorial Hospital in Harlan.

On Thursday morning twenty INA members and twenty nursing students greeted about fifty legislators who stopped by Room 19 at the State Capitol for a breakfast and conversation about nursing issues. The hot topic of the morning was the budget targets and tobacco settlement spending impact on expenditure on health services. The nurse licensure compact and mental health parity were also frequent topics of discussion.

House File 2498 has been introduced and recommended for passage. It is awaiting consideration in the Iowa House. It would grant legal recognition by "registration" of direct entry midwifes. Legislators are very torn about this issue noting that there are 30 individuals already out there performing this service. The Iowa Nurses Association, Iowa Medical Society, and Iowa Academy of Family Physicians have been actively lobbying on this issue.

INA’s main talking points are:

1. Direct entry midwives lack an identified and standardized clinical and educational preparation.
2. Extensive educational effort to reduce infant mortality with licensed providers (physicians and registered nurses) has occurred in the state.
3. There is a lack of collegiality and emergency back up plans, which needs addressing.
4. There has been only minimal use of certified nurse midwives to date.

1. Support adoption of an Interstate Compact to facilitate a system of licensure in which a single license allows a nurse to practice in multiple states with a "multistate licensure privilege". House File 2105 on Senate debate calendar.

2. Appropriate the tobacco settlement dollars for health care purposes with attention to: 1) school programs to reduce tobacco use and improve health, 2) assuring health services provided by school nurses are included in state school accreditation standards, and 3) programs to reduce school violence. A number of bills introduced to provide for expenditure of tobacco funds. Spending targets for tobacco settlement announced.

3. Support parity in health insurance policies for mental health and substance abuse coverage and appropriate housing. House File 2080 assigned to Senate Human Resources Committee. Senate Commerce recommended passage of SF 2234 (now SF 2412) which minimally provides for more coverage than House File 2080 and does not include substance abuse, also releases the mandate if premiums increase by greater than 3% and puts a three year sunset on coverage. Neither bill can be considered to offer comprehensive mental health coverage.

4. Assure nursing supervision of emergency medical services personnel when they work in the non-emergency, non-lifesaving acute care settings. INA desired language contained in new House File 2333 and SF 2346. Both are awaiting debate.

5. Increase funding for public health nursing/core public health functions. Director of Public Health and Governor recommended $1.5 million, recommendations to Health and Human Rights Appropriations Subcommittee. The Republicans have recommended tobacco settlement funds of $300,000.

6. No support for legal recognition of direct-entry midwives. House File 2498 would "register" direct entry midwives and give them legal recognition.

SF 2193 SENIOR LIVING PROGRAM - Creates a Senior Living Program and a Senior Living Trust Fund to assist senior citizens. Appropriations: Appropriates from the trust fund $80 million to DHS over a five year period, $20 million in FY 2001, to convert nursing home space and develop long term care alternatives; $2.2 million for medical and living assistance; $17.8 million for nursing home reimbursement; to Elder affairs, $4.2 million for FY 2001 to develop a comprehensive senior living program. Other: Requests an Interim Study of long term care insurance. Requires DHS to create a Medicaid Reimbursement task force. Requires DHS to adopt rules to assure that facilities receiving grants allocate costs in an equitable manner. Effective on enactment.

SF 2216 PREGNANT DRUG ABUSERS - Authorizes the civil commitment of women who are pregnant and are chronic substance abusers. PASSED, 8-5

SSB 3096 FIP EDUCATION - Allows FIP recipients to take thirty-six months for supported post-secondary education in a forty-eight month period. Requires the DHS to amend earlier agreements that allowed only twenty-four months in a thirty-six month period.

SSB 3104 FIP - Allows DHS to file reports about recipients in local and county offices. Expands eligibility of FIP for two-parent families. Makes other changes.

SSB 3105 BACKGROUND CHECKS - Makes technical changes to the code regarding background checks of state employees. Allows background checks of employees and volunteers who have direct contact with clients in county cluster offices. Allows the consideration of the criminal offenses in determining if that person should continue service.

SSB 3177 SHARING CHILD ABUSE INFORMATION - Allows for interagency agreements to sharing information regarding child abuse information.

SSB 3186 PREGNANCY INFORMATION - Requires the reporting of various medical information regarding the termination of pregnancy.
SSB 3198 CHILD ABUSE RECORDS - Allows a person who is the subject of an abuse report to give that information to the Governor, or the Governor’s designee, or a legislator or designated employee of the Legislature. Gives the Governor and legislative leaders access to child abuse information. Requires the legislative leaders to complete a DHS course on the confidentiality of such records. Other: Requires DHS to tell a child abuse reporter in 24 hours if DHS has started an assessment. Defines near fatality.

SSB 3206 TOBACCO LAWS - IDs: Makes the use of a driver’s license by a minor to purchase tobacco a simple misdemeanor. Authorizes the seizure of fake identification. Punishment: Establishes alternative punishments including education programs and community service for minors who violate the tobacco laws. Other: Allows minors to handle tobacco products as part of their job. Limits license revocations to the place of business where the offense occurred but not to other locations. Increases fines.

SSB 3207 MEDICAID DENTAL COSTS - Directs the DHS to seek a waiver to provide dental services through Medicaid and to develop a plan for rate increases for such dental services.

SF 2009 HOSPITAL TRUSTEES - Allows a physician to serve as a county hospital trustee.

SF 2390 HEALTH FACILITIES DIVISION (State Government; Successor to SSB 3062) Creates a Division of Health Facilities within the Department of Inspections and Appeals to oversee and license hospitals, health care facilities, hospices, and birth centers and to oversee foster care and dependent care facilities for children.

HF 2105 NURSING LICENSING COMPACT - Adopts the nurse licensure compact to allow the mutual recognition of nursing licenses by states.

HF 2380 COMPREHENSIVE PERSONAL ASSISTANCE (Human Resources; Successor to HF 2244

HF 2176 JUVENILE DRUG TESTING - Allows the juvenile court to order ex parte testing of a child for illegal drugs when there is probable cause to believe the child has been exposed to drugs. Requires any positive test results to be reported to the DHS.

HSB 622 DEPENDENT ADULT ABUSE - Establishes the criminal offense of Dependent Adult Abuse whether willful, reckless, or negligent. Defines "Misuse of Physical Inventions" as an action taken by a caretaker that is intended to modify or control the dependent adult’s behavior and is not part of an approved plan of care prescribed by a physician.

HSB 683 PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS - Adds two members of the profession to the Board of Physician Assistants Examiners. Requires person applying for a license after July 1, 2001 to have graduated from an accredited program; grandfather’s in those with a license before July 2001. Effective upon enactment.

HSB 701 MIDWIFE ADVISORY COUNCIL - Establishes Midwifery Council and registration requirements for the practice of direct entry midwifery. Criminalizes unlicensed midwifery. 11-8

HSB 738 FAMILY DRUG TESTING - Authorizes drug testing for families involved on the FIP program.

HF 2031 TORT REFORM - Prohibits the recovery of damages for pain and suffering, or other non-economic damages, in a car accident if the injured person is guilty of an OWI offense, is uninsured, is driving with a suspended license or caused the accident through the commission of felony unless the other driver meets one of these conditions. Settlements: Prohibits insurance companies from settling in an accident if a driver is charged with violating one of these provisions while the charges are pending. AMENDED

HF 2093 CIVIL COMMITMENT PROCEDURES (Kreiman) Requires applicants for substance abuse commitments certify that there is no other pending commitment proceedings. Requires medical evaluation reports be electronically sent to the parties involved before filing a written report in court. Requires hearing held for involuntary commitments be held within five business days from.

HF 2342 DOMESTIC ABUSE PRIVACY - Allows a victim of domestic abuse to use an address of a shelter or other agency as a mailing address for petition filing and obtaining utility and other services.

HSB 663 PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY CONFIDENTIALITY - Requires that professional liability cases be treated confidentially by the parties and the court until the certification of expert witnesses. AMENDED

HSB 743 MENTAL HEALTH DEVELOPMENT Changes code references of "hospital-schools" to "resource centers" Adds Washington and Webster Counties to pilot counties for the Pilot Project for County-Administered Mental Health and Development Disabilities Services. Makes other changes.

HSB 745 CORBETT-MILLER COTTAGE - Proposed Joint Resolution to rename the Cottage at the State Training School to the Corbett-Miller Cottage. AMENDED Technical.

HSB 746 ARLENE DAYHOFF ED COMPLEX - Proposed Joint Resolution to rename the Educational Facilities at the State Training School to the Arlene Dayhoff Educational Complex.

SCR 103 BONE & JOINT DECADE - Makes the years from 2000 to 2010 the Bone and Joint decade.

The House ADOPTED the Resolution

SF 2193 SENIOR LIVING PROGRAM - Creates a Senior Living Program and a Senior Living Trust Fund to assist senior citizens. Appropriates from the trust fund $80 million to DHS over a five year period, $20 million in FY 2001, to convert nursing home space and develop long term care alternatives; $2.2 million for medical and living assistance; $17.8 million for nursing home reimbursement; to Elder affairs, $4.2 million for FY 2001 to develop a comprehensive senior living program. Requests an Interim Study of long term care insurance. Requires DHS to create a Medicaid Reimbursement methodology task force. Effective on enactment. The House PASSED the bill, 96-0; it now goes to the Governor.

HF 2408 – WITHDRAWN

HF 2084 UNDERAGE BODY PIERCING - Prohibits body piercing, not including ear lobes, of minors except with written notarized parental consent. Makes it a serious misdemeanor and creates an affirmative defense if practitioner believes minor is 18 years of age. Directs the Department of Public Health to issue standardized forms, adopt rules and to order practitioners to cease operation until corrective actions are taken.

H-8023 - by Mascher - Requires piercing establishments to meet the same standards as tattoo parlors. Establishes permits and fee schedule. ADOPTED

H-8015 by Falck - Strikes notarized from the parental consent requirement. ADOPTED

H-8010 by Carroll - Makes technical correction. ADOPTED

The Bill was REREFERRED to the Ways & Means Committee.

HF 2362 DOMESTIC ABUSE REVIEW - Establishes the Iowa Domestic Abuse Review Team to make recommendation to various state agencies for reducing domestic abuse deaths. Allows the Team to obtain confidential information from any person regarding such a death and releases from liability the person providing the information.

H-8049 - by Boddicker - Requires the Team to review the timing of events prior to death. ADOPTED

H-8062 - by Davis - Changes technical language. ADOPTED

H-8061 - by Davis - Makes language unisex. ADOPTED

H-8050 - by Boddicker - WITHDRAWN

The House PASSED the Bill, as amended 97-0; it now goes to the Senate.

HF 2365 INVESTIGATING CHILD DEATHS - Requires the child death review team to review all deaths of children up to the age of eighteen.

The House PASSED the Bill, 94-1; it now goes to the Senate.

HF 754 DENTAL CARE COVERAGE - Requires health benefits coverage include anesthesia and hospital costs for dental care for children under the age of 5 and for individuals who are severely disabled or have medical conditions requiring hospitalization or general anesthesia. Allows the covered treatment to take place at a doctor’s office or hospital. Allows prior authorization.

H-8048 by Commerce - Strike and replace. Same as original bill but exempts accident only and other medical specific policies. ADOPTED

The House PASSED the Bill, as amended, 97-0; it now goes to the Senate

HF 2377 CHILD ABUSE INFORMATION - Gives the Governor and the leadership of the General Assembly access to records held by the Department of Human Services regarding child abuse. Imposes penalties for unauthorized dissemination of information.

H-8151 by Carroll - Requires Committee consult with the County Attorney as to not to jeopardizes a prosecution. ADOPTED

H-8158A to H-8151 by Ford - Strikes the ability of legislators to inspect records.

FAILED, 41-53

H- 8071 by Krieman - Adds serious injury to list. ADOPTED

H-8114, H-8090 H-8068, H-8112, H-8080, H-8158B - WITHDRAWN

H-8065, H-8157 - OUT OF ORDER

The House PASSED the Bill, as amended, 98-0; it now goes to the Senate

SF 2007 GUARDIAN MEDICAL POWERS - Allows a guardian to authorize the use of anesthesia for a ward for professional care, if necessitated by the disability of the ward. Exempts such professional care from the definition of major elective surgery or non-emergency medical procedures.

S-5008 by Judiciary - Includes routine physical and dental examinations in the power of the guardian. Defines such exams. ADOPTED

The Senate PASSED the Bill, as amended, 48-0; it now goes to the House

SF 2079 TOBACCO PRODUCTS - Prohibits the sale, possession, distribution and transportation of cigarettes or tobacco products if they were made for the export outside the U.S. or have been exported and reimported.

S-5031 by McKean - Makes the bill effective upon enactment. ADOPTED

The Senate PASSED the Bill, as amended, 48-0; it now goes to the House

The Senate CONFIRMED the En Bloc Calendar, 49-0 on February 29.

SF 2243 OWI IN-PATIENT TREATMENT - Requires OWI offenders placed in institutional programs to be so placed within sixty days or as soon as possible. Allows offenders already in an institutional program to enter a community-based residential program at the same point as they were in the institutional program.

The Senate PASSED the Bill 47-0; it now goes to the House

BILL SUMMARY (For bill text check www.legis.state.ia.us)

House Bills:

HF 2411 TOBACCO SETTLEMENT - MEDICAL ASSISTANCE (Nelson-Forbes) Appropriates an unspecified amount of money from the Settlement Fund to pay for the Medical Assistance Program through the school systems. (Appropriations)

HF 2414 HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT (Heaton) Codifies requirements for child care assistance including eligibility requirements for childcare setting assistance, county by county rate setting, and language clarification. Requires the DHS to conduct criminal and child abuse background checks on employees, prospective employees and volunteers. (Human Resources)

HF 2418 INFECTIOUS DISEASES (Human Resources; Successor to HSB 617) Requires Public Health to set-up a taskforce to study immunizations in post H.S. students. Cleans up various code sections by placing them in one code section. Makes minor definitional changes. (Calendar)

HF 2454 CRITICAL STRESS LIABILITY (Judiciary; Successor to HF 427) - Limits the liability of critical incident stress management teams who offer services to EMS workers and the victims of disasters.

HF 2456 ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY (Warnstadt) Requires the criteria for the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Grants to be based 50% on need. (Human Resources)

HF 2459 HEALTH CARE FACILITY INSPECTIONS (Human Resources; Successor to HSB 619) Requires unannounced inspections of health to at least once every 30 months. Does not require that a complaint-based inspection be limited to the complaint. Establishes a quality-based complaint system, which requires the DIA to report to the budget subcommittees.

HF 2460 JUVENILE RECORDS/CHILD ABUSE INFORMATION (Human Resources; Successor to HSB 708) Allows for the schools and juvenile justice agencies to enter agreements to share information regarding juvenile court records. Allows child abuse information from DHS to be shared if DHS approves and sharing the information is necessary to the disposition of the case.

HF 2474 ACCREDITATION STANDARDS (Education; Successor to HF 2189) Requires state Board of Education to adopt rules incorporating a health service component into the general accreditation standards for school districts. (Calendar)

HF 2475 MINOR DRIVERS (Transportation; Successor to HF 2171) Allows school licenses to issued for travel to accredited and non-accredited schools with a chief administrator. (Calendar)

HF 2476 PUBLIC HEALTH FEES (Human Resources; Successor to HSB 618) Requires Substance Abuse Commission to specifically review initial requests for a substance abuse facility. Broadens inspection authority of substance abuse facilities by the Department. Legalizes breastfeeding in public. Makes changes to various medical licensed professions as to length of license, type of educational background, type of testing required, etc. Makes technical corrections. (Appropriations)

HF 2497 FAMILY DRUG TESTING (Human Resources; Successor to HSB 738) Authorizes drug testing for families involved on the FIP program. (Calendar)

HF 2498 MIDWIFE REGISTRATION (Human Resources; Successor to HSB 701) Establishes Midwifery Council and registration requirements for the practice of direct entry midwifery. Criminalizes unlicensed midwifery. (Calendar)

HF 2499 JUVENILE DRUG TESTING (Human Resources; Successor to HF 2176) Allows the juvenile court to order ex parte testing of a child for illegal drugs when there is probable cause to believe the child has been exposed to drugs. Requires any positive test results to be reported to the DHS. (Calendar)

HF 2500 DEPENDENT ADULT ABUSE (Human Resources; Successor to HSB 622) Establishes the criminal offense of Dependent Adult Abuse whether willful, reckless, or negligent. Defines "Misuse of Physical Inventions" as an action taken by a caretaker that is intended to modify or control the dependent adult’s behavior and is not part of an approved plan of care prescribed by a physician. (Calendar)

HF 2505 MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES (Local Government; Successor to HSB 743) Changes code references of "hospital-schools" to "resource centers." Adds Washington and Webster Counties to pilot counties for the Pilot Project for County-Administered Mental Health and Development Disabilities Services. Makes other changes. (Calendar)

HF 2514 PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS (Human Resources; Successor to HSB 683) Adds two members of the profession to the Board of Physician Assistants Examiners. Requires person applying for a license after July 1, 2001 to have graduated from an accredited program; grandfather’s in those with a license before July 2001. Effective upon enactment. (Calendar)

HF 2522 DOMESTIC ABUSE PRIVACY (Judiciary; Successor to HF 2342) Allows a victim of domestic abuse to use an address of a shelter or other agency as a mailing address for petition filing and obtaining utility and other services. (Calendar)

HF 2525 TORT REFORM (Judiciary; Successor to HF 2031) Prohibits the recovery of damages for pain and suffering, or other non-economic damages, in a car accident if the injured caused the accident through the commission of felony. Settlements: Prohibits insurance companies from settling in an accident if a driver is charged with violating one of these provisions while the charges are pending.

HF 2526 CIVIL COMMITMENT PROCEDURES (Judiciary; Successor to HF 2093) Requires applicants for substance abuse commitments certify that there is no other pending commitment proceedings. Requires medical evaluation reports be electronically sent to the parties involved before filing a written report in court. Requires hearing held for involuntary commitments be held within five business days from. (Calendar)

SENATE FILES:

SF 2314 INFECTIOUS DISEASES (Human Resources; SSB 3205) Combines the various Code sections on communicable diseases, venereal diseases and exposure of emergency workers into the Communicable & Infectious Disease Reporting and Control Act. Makes language changes, including venereal diseases to sexual transmitted diseases and other related changes.

SF 2137 HEALTH FACILITY INSPECTIONS (Judge, et al) Requires unannounced inspections of health care facilities to at least once every 30 months. Does not require that a complaint-based inspection be limited to the complaint. Establishes a quality-based complaint system, which requires the DIA to report to the budget subs.

SF 2324 DNA PROFILING (Judiciary; Successor to SSB 3019) Requires persons to undergo DNA profile testing if convicted of an offense that requires testing, as determined by the Attorney General. Requires courts to order DNA testing if a person is convicted of such an offense.

SF 2336 INSURANCE DIVISION OMNIBUS (Commerce; Successor to SSB 3137) Makes technical and other non-controversial corrections, including updating references, including references to electronic records.

SF 2341 EMPOWERMENT BOARDS (Human Resources; Successor to SSB 3200) Adds the director of the Department of Human Rights and an additional citizen as voting members on the Iowa Empowerment Board. Requires the agencies administering locally operated early childhood programs to outline cooperation efforts in writing. Grants: Reduces grant periods to one year. Requires specific reports based on the grant area and strikes the Empowerment Board’s power to adjust grant amounts dues to population or other funding. Creates a school ready grant formula based on the general number of children, those living in or near poverty and a base amount for each county. Other: Encourages community empowerment boards to act quickly in submitting nominees.

SF 2344 CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES (Human Resources; Successor to SSB 3093) Provides that requests to correct or expunge child abuse information shall not be made public until the conclusion of the proceedings. Allows providers of adult home care, health care or placement facilities to check employment records of future employees.

SF 2346 EMS ACTIONS (State Government; Successor to SSB 3185) Allows emergency care providers to act in their individual capacity. Lists the types of individuals that can supervise emergency medical care providers may perform non-lifesaving procedures.

SF 2350 MEDICAID DENTAL COSTS (Human Resources; Successor to SSB 3207) Directs the DHS to seek a waiver to provide dental services through Medicaid and to develop a plan for rate increases for such dental services.

SF 2352 CHILDREN AT-RISK FUNDS (Education; SSB 3182) Allows schools which received supplementary funding for at-risk children in 1999 but not 2000 to receive special funds under certain circumstances, until 2004. Allocates funding only to the extent that the school to be fully-funding the dropout levy. Does not allow a school collecting more than the supplemental funding through the dropout levy to collect more funds. Requires DOE to report on supplemental funding and standing appropriations.

SF 2366 TOBACCO LAWS (Human Resources; Successor to SSB 3206) IDs: Makes the use of a driver’s license by a minor to purchase tobacco a simple misdemeanor. Authorizes the seizure of fake identification. Punishment: Establishes alternative punishments including education programs and community service for minors who violate the tobacco laws. Other: Allows minors to handle tobacco products as part of their job. Limits license revocations to the place of business where the offense occurred but not to other locations. Increases fines.

SF 2367 PREGNANCY INFORMATION (Human Resources; Successor to SSB 3186) Requires the reporting of various medical information regarding the termination of a pregnancy, including the name of the facility and the location, the type of procedure, the name of the doctor and the name of the person completing the report, the confidential identifier of the patient, the ancestry and history of other births and the time of the patient’s last period. Deletes requirements that spontaneous terminations be reported.

SF 2368 FIP CHANGES (Human Resources; Successor to SSB 3104) Filings: Strikes certain confidentiality provisions to allow DHS to file reports about recipients in local and county offices. Two-Parent Families: Expands eligibility of FIP for two-parent families. Defines the second imposition of limited benefit plans for two-parent families as a subsequent limited benefit plan. Other: Expands the use of subaccounts. Allows some persons who are not US citizens or qualified aliens to participate in FIP but not in JOBS. Makes other changes.

SF 2369 JUVENILE RECORDS/CHILD ABUSE INFORMATION (Human Resources; Successor to HSB 708) Allows for the schools and juvenile justice agencies to enter agreements to share information regarding juvenile court records. Allows child abuse information from DHS to be shared if DHS approves and sharing the information is necessary to the disposition of the case.

SF 2377 PUBLIC HEALTH SCHOOL (Dvorsky, et al) Appropriates $2.75 million from the GF to fund the school of public health and the public health initiative at the University of Iowa.

SF 2390 HEALTH FACILITIES DIVISION (State Government; Successor to SSB 3062) Creates a Division of Health Facilities within the Department of Inspections and Appeals to oversee and license hospitals, health care facilities, hospices, and birth centers and to oversee foster care and dependent care facilities for children.

SF 2408 COVERAGE OF DENTAL CARE (Commerce; Successor to SF 2034) Requires that health benefit coverage include coverage for anesthesia and other hospital charges related to dental care for children, the developmentally disabled or a person with a condition which requires hospitalization and treatment. Allows prior authorization requirements.

SF 2409 INSURANCE REGULATIONS (Commerce; Successor to SSB 3162) Makes changes in time limits and other changes in insurance regulation matters.

SF 2410 CHILD ABUSE RECORDS (Human Resources; Successor to SSB 3198) Allows a person who is the subject of an abuse report to give that information to the Governor, or the Governor’s designee, or a legislator or designated employee of the Legislature. Gives the Governor and legislative leaders access to child abuse information. Requires the legislative leaders to complete a DHS course on the confidentiality of such records. Other: Requires DHS to tell a child abuse reporter in 24 hours if DHS has started an assessment. Defines near fatality.

SF 2412 BIOLOGICAL BRAIN DISEASES (Commerce; Successor to SF 2234) Coverage: Requires group health insurance policies or HMOs to offer coverage for biologically based mental illness for employers with more than 50 employees, for small employers who already offer coverage for mental illnesses and for public employers. Includes schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders, bi-polar and depressive disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, developmental and autistic disorders. Benefits: Increases the lifetime benefits to $100,000. Waiver: Establishes a waiver if the provisions of the bill will cause an increase in premiums of more than 3%.