E2SHB 1825

SENATE BILL REPORT
E2SHB 1825

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

As Reported By Senate Committee On:
Health & Long-Term Care, March 22, 2007

Sponsors: House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Schual-Berke, Curtis, Dunshee, Moeller, Lovick, Morrell, Seaquist, McCoy, Clibborn, Barlow, Green, Appleton, Pedersen, Darneille, P. Sullivan, Kenney, Rolfes, Simpson, McIntire, Roberts, Ormsby and Chase).

Majority Report: Do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.Signed by Senators Keiser, Chair; Franklin, Vice Chair; Pflug, Ranking Minority Member; Carrell, Fairley, Kastama, Kohl-Welles and Parlette.

Background: Public health services in Washington are administered at the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) through 35 local health jurisdictions. The activities are generally divided into five categories, including preventing and responding to communicable disease, protecting people from environmental threats, assessing health status, promoting health and preventing chronic disease, and accessing health services.

In 2005, the Legislature passed HCR 4410 which created the Joint Select Committee on Public Health Finance (Select Committee). The Select Committee included eight legislators and had the responsibility of reviewing all funding sources and expenditures for public health services. It was also charged with recommending potential sources of future funding.

Summary of Engrossed Second Substitute Bill: The Local Public Health Financing Account is created in the State Treasury. The Account is funded by amounts appropriated in the operating budget. Beginning January 2008, all local health jurisdictions must annually receive an equal portion of funds up to $5,425,000 from the Account, as available. The remaining funds will be distributed to local health jurisdictions on a per capita basis. To continue to receive funds after 2010, a local health jurisdiction's public health spending must equal or exceed the amount of local funding budgeted for public health functions for 2007. These functions are defined as health services related to communicable diseases, public health emergencies, chronic disease, healthy families and children, health assessment, and environmental health.

The DOH is directed to develop a prioritized list of activities and services performed by local health jurisdictions that qualify as core public health functions of statewide significance and corresponding performance measures by January 2008.

Each local health jurisdiction is required to submit data to the Secretary of DOH to evaluate if funds from the Account are being used consistent with achievement of performance measures. The Secretary of DOH will provide technical assistance and report to the Governor when compliance with standards has been accomplished.

The DOH must report to the Legislature and the Governor on the distribution of funds from the Account, the impact of the funds to improve compliance with performance measures and health status indicators, and trends in compliance over time. The report is to be submitted annually beginning November 15, 2009.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: This state badly needs a sustainable funding source for public health. We need to address priorities that have gone unmet because of the deterioration public health funding. Government's priority should be the health and safety of citizens and that is the core business of public health. This offers a way to distribute funds with performance measures and accountability is built in.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Sherri McDonald, Thurston County Public Health; Eric Johnson Washington Association of Counties.