S-2088.1  _______________________________________________

                    SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5074

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care (originally sponsored by Senators Kohl‑Welles, Winsley, Costa, Thibaudeau, Fairley, Eide, Franklin, Rasmussen, Prentice and McAuliffe)

READ FIRST TIME 03/05/01.

Creating the women's health advisory committee.

    AN ACT Relating to the women's health advisory committee; and adding new sections to chapter 43.70 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  Until recently, little attention has been given to the detection, treatment, and prevention of disease as specifically related to the unique needs and experiences of women, including racial and ethnic minority women.  The purpose of establishing the women's health advisory committee is to provide input to the department in order to achieve equity in policy considerations and decisions affecting women's health, including the administration, funding, and delivery of medical care and health care-related services, and additional opportunities for basic and applied research directly affecting women's health.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  The women's health advisory committee is created.  The governor shall appoint the fifteen members of the committee.  Committee members shall serve for a term of two years, which may be renewed, and shall serve without any compensation or type of reimbursement.  The committee shall include one member from each major caucus of the house of representatives and the senate, two representatives from the department of health, one representative from the department of social and health services, two representatives from statewide women's health advocacy organizations, one representative from the University of Washington school of public health, one representative from the office of the insurance commissioner, one representative from the health care industry, two representatives from organizations representing the health concerns of women of color, and one representative who is or has been a consumer of public health programs or services.

    The committee shall elect one of its members as chair.  In any situation requiring a vote, the chair shall cast the deciding vote.  The committee shall meet no less than twice per calendar year at dates specified by the chair or a majority of the members.

    The department shall provide administrative and clerical assistance to the committee.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  The women's health advisory committee shall advise the department around women's health, with special attention to the unique needs and challenges of racial and ethnic minority women, with regard to:

    (1) Strategic planning to improve the department's public health services and programs targeting women;

    (2) Analysis of departmental policies regarding specific issues related to women's health by racial and ethnic categories;

    (3) Coordination of pilot projects and planning projects funded by the state that are related to women's health;

    (4) Dispersing information to the public regarding women's health, data, strategies, and programs that address women's health issues, including, but not limited to, cardiovascular disease, pregnancy, breast and cervical cancers, AIDS, osteoporosis, and menopause, as well as issues that impact women's health, including substance abuse, domestic violence, housing, teenage pregnancy, and sexual assault;

    (5) The identification of public and private sources of funding for initiatives in women's health; and

    (6) Ways to encourage innovative responses by public and private entities that seek to address women's health issues.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  Sections 1 through 3 of this act are each added to chapter 43.70 RCW.

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