Legislative Wrap-up

BILL	STATUS	VAHHS POSITION
H. 12, introduced by Representatives Knox and Weiss of Northfield, this bill proposes to require that a patient receive essential information regarding electroconvulsive therapy to assure that the patient has given informed consent prior to receiving treatment.	Enacted Law. Signed on 5/2/00.	Opposed. VAHHS feels that the professionals and the Department of Mental Health should resolve the informed consent protocol.
H. 187, introduced by Representatives Vinton of Colchester and Emmons of Springfield, this bill proposes to extend the practice of podiatry to include a portion of the lower leg.	Enacted Law. Signed on 5/10/00.	No position.
H. 310, introduced by the Committee on Health & Welfare, this bill proposes to:1) Establish the tobacco litigation settlement fund and direct that all of the annual receipts from the settlement between the tobacco industry and the State be deposited into the fund;2) Direct that 1/3 of receipts from the settlement be deposited into the endowment for a tobacco free Vermont to build a permanent endowment for tobacco cessation and prevention programs;3) Create the Vermont tobacco control fund to support programs and activities designed to free Vermonters from the addiction of tobacco, and to prevent future tobacco addiction, and to appropriate funds in FY2000 and 2001 to the Vermont tobacco control board to support tobacco cessation and prevention programs;4) Expand the Vscript program to provide maintenance prescription drug benefits to seniors and disabled Vermonters with income under 250 percent of the federal poverty level, and extend "wrap-around" coverage of pharmaceutical and other Vermont health access plan benefits to Medicare-eligible Vermonters whose incomes meet Vermont health access plan income eligibility requirements; and 5)Appropriate funds in FY 2000 to support health clinics for the uninsured and the tobacco liti- gation and control activities of the attorney general.	House Appropriations Committee. Many features of this bill are included in the Appropriations Act, bill number H. 842.	Support.

H. 362, introduced by Representative Poirier of Barre City, this bill proposes to authorize the office of health care ombudsman to administer a single health care ombudsman program for all public and private health insurance plans.	Enacted Law. Signed on 4/5/00.	Opposed.
H. 363, introduced by the Committee on Ways and Means, this bill proposes to adjust certain executive branch fees. Provider tax is included in this bill.	Passed House. Became part of the tax cut bill.	Support with amendment to sunset now in bill. VAHHS continues to ask for sunset of the tax.
H. 474, introduced by Representative Milkey of Brattleboro along with a dozen others, this bill proposes to protect consumers of assistive devices from fraud and defective products and to provide lessees of durable medical devices with a purchase option.	Enacted law. Signed on 5/4/00.	No position.
H. 599, introduced by Representative Poirier of Barre City, this bill proposes to permit streamlined reciprocity for licensure of health care professionals in the event of a disaster in Vermont.	Incorporated into H. 738 as passed.	Support. Bill was submitted on behalf of VAHHS to support the Mutual Aid Response Agreement approved by the VAHHS Board of Trustees.
H. 628, introduced by Representatives Alfano of Calais, Pugh of South Burlington, Poirier of Barre City, and Steele of Waterbury, this bill proposes to require each health insurance company to file with the commissioner of banking, insurance, securities and health care administration a report card on quality measures for mental health and substance abuse services, and the company's loss ratio for mental health and substance abuse expenses. Includes establishment of prices providers may charge for copying medical records.	Enacted law. Signed on 5/17/00.	Support.
H. 629, introduced by two dozen representatives, this bill proposes to clarify the definition of special education services, to permit the cost of special education services to be a factor in considering how to provide appropriate services, and to require the department of banking, insurance, securities and health care administration to provide technical assistance relating to the coordination of health insurance benefits for a child with a disability.	Enacted law. Signed on 5/18/00.

H. 636, introduced by Representative Poirier of Barre City, this bill proposes to require a qualified escrow fund for tobacco manufacturers not participating in the tobacco master settlement agreement.	Enacted Law. Signed on 5/12/00.	Support.
H. 665, introduced by the Committee on Appropriations, this bill proposes to make changes to the fiscal year 2000 Omnibus Appropriation Act.	Enacted Law. Signed on 2/8/00.	Support.
H. 709, introduced by Representative Pugh of South Burlington, this bill proposes to create a commission to evaluate the most effective manner of providing services for Psychological trauma victims.	Enacted Law. Signed on 5/12/00.
H. 711, introduced by Representative Poirier of Barre City, this bill proposes to direct that an independent performance audit be conducted of Vermont's health care system.	Enacted law. Signed on 5/19/00.	Support.
H. 738, introduced by the Committee on Government Operations, this bill proposes to make adjustments to the regulation of the following professions: accountants, architects, barbers and cosmetologists, chiropractic, dentists and dental hygienists, embalmers, funeral directors, osteopathy, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, radiology, psychologists, private investigative and security services, clinical social workers, real estate appraisers, athletic trainers, naturopathic physicians, nursing home administrators and common interest ownership. This bill also proposes to establish new systems for licensing the following professions: boxing, alcohol and drug abuse counselors, and midwives. This bill also proposes to establish a new system for certifying electrologists.	Enacted law. Enacted without Governor's signature on 5/17/00.	Opposed to midwife section of bill. A portion of H. 599 was attached to this bill, which we support
H. 772, introduced by Representative Poirier of Barre City, this bill proposes to amend the review process for hospital budgets.	Enacted Law. Signed on 4/13/00.	Support.
H. 838, introduced by the Committee on Government Operations, this bill proposes to consolidate various workforce reporting requirements in one statutory location, to eliminate obsolete statutory provisions, to authorize the commissioner of personnel to establish nursing care positions at the Vermont Veterans' Home, and to allow the secretary of administration to extend a previously granted early retirement offering.	Enacted law. Signed on 5/23/00.	Support.
H. 842, introduced by the Committee on Appropriations, this bill proposes to make appropriations in support of government for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2000.	Enacted law. Signed on 5/29/00.	We support the Medicaid fee increases for physicians and home health.
S. 283, introduced by Senator Illuzzi of Essex-Orleans County, this bill proposes to authorize any person who has received the appropriate training to be authorized to operate heart defibrillator machines.	Enacted law. Signed on 5/17/00.	Support.
S. 303, introduced by Senators Leddy, Ankeney, Munt and Backus of Chittenden County, Crowley of Rutland County, and Ptashnik of Windsor County, this bill proposes to direct the department of health, in consultation with an opiate addiction treatment advisory committee, to establish comprehensive guidelines for a regional system of accessible care and treatment of opiate addiction that combines behavioral therapies and pharmacological treatment, including methadone, levo-alpha acetyl-methadol and naltrexone.	Enacted law. Signed on 5/18/00.	Support.