| Adopted by the House April 13, 2005 ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives Adopted by the Senate April 19, 2005 ________________________________________ President of the Senate | I, Richard Nafziger, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is ENGROSSED HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 4410 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth. ________________________________________ Chief Clerk | |
| Approved ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | Secretary of State State of Washington |
| State of Washington | 59th Legislature | 2005 Regular Session |
Read first time 03/21/2005. Referred to Committee on Rules.
WHEREAS, The public health system as defined in RCW 43.70.575 is
essential to fulfilling the state's constitutional responsibility to
protect the health and safety of its citizens; and
WHEREAS, The population-based services provided by the public
health system are cost-effective and are critical in improving the
value of public investments in all types of health services and in
controlling health care costs; and
WHEREAS, Our state public health system lacks the capacity to
fulfill its critical functions with respect to well understood health
threats such as impure air and water, unsanitary living conditions,
unsafe food, and inadequate rates of immunization; and
WHEREAS, The public health system lacks the capacity to address the
emerging health threats of the 21st century including bioterrorism and
other emergencies, health disparities, the spread of drug-resistant
tuberculosis, HIV, SARS, West Nile virus, and other infectious
diseases, and the predictable increases of heart disease, cancer,
diabetes, and other diseases that will result from tobacco and other
drug addiction, poor diet, and inadequate exercise; and
WHEREAS, According to the provisions of chapter 43.70 RCW the
department of health has developed a public health improvement plan, in
consultation with local health jurisdictions, the state board of
health, and other state agencies, health services providers, and
citizens concerned about public health; and
WHEREAS, The public health improvement plan includes standards for
all elements of the public health system and provides a detailed
accounting of both performance and funding deficits in the current
system, suggesting ways in which additional funds could be used to
improve that system;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the House of Representatives,
the Senate concurring, That the joint select committee on public health
financing be established. Its members shall include one member from
each caucus from the committee on health and the principal fiscal
committee of the House of Representatives and Senate. The joint select
committee shall collaborate with the office of the governor, the
department of health, the association of counties, the association of
local public health officials, and the state board of health. The
joint select committee shall elect one of its members to serve as its
chair. Staffing assistance shall be provided by the House of
Representatives office of program research and Senate committee
services. Legislative members of the joint select committee shall be
reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the joint select committee review all
current and potential local, state, and federal funding sources and
expenditures for public health services and recommend potential sources
of future funding for public health services. The recommendation shall
include methods to ensure that such funding does not supplant existing
federal, state, and local funds received by any element of the public
health system; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the joint select committee complete a
report to the governor and the legislature by July 1, 2006.