SB2424eng 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB2424 Engrossed LRB093 20684 DRJ 46553 b

AN ACT concerning health.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by adding Section 2310-353 as follows:

(20 ILCS 2310/2310-353 new)

Sec. 2310-353. Cervical Cancer Elimination Task Force.

(a) A standing ad hoc task force on cervical cancer elimination is established within the Department of Public Health. The task force shall be called the Cervical Cancer Elimination Task Force ("the Task Force"). The Task Force shall perform the duties specified in this Section.

(b) The Task Force shall have 21 members. The directors of Public Health, Public Aid, and Human Services and the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Conference of Women Legislators in Illinois, or their designees, shall be ex officio members of the Task Force. The following additional members shall be appointed:

(1) By the President of the Senate, as follows:

(A) One member of the Senate.

(B) A representative of a women's health organization.

(C) A representative from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

(D) A certified schoolteacher.

(2) By the Minority Leader of the Senate: one member of the Senate.

(3) By the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as follows:

(A) One member of the House of Representatives.

(B) A member of the Illinois Chapter of the American Cancer Society who is an oncologist.

(C) A member of the health insurance industry.

(D) A member from the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

(4) By the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives: one member of the House of Representatives.

(5) By the Governor, as follows:

(A) A member of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

(B) The State Epidemiologist.

(C) Two members at large.

(D) A news director of a newspaper or television or radio station.

(E) A licensed registered nurse.

The Governor shall appoint a Chair from among the members of the Task Force. The Task Force shall elect a Vice-Chair from its members.

(c) Each appointing authority shall ensure, insofar as possible, that its appointees to the Task Force reflect the composition of the Illinois population with regard to ethnic, racial, age, and religious composition.

(d) The appointing authorities shall make their appointments to the Task Force not later than 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly. In the case of a vacancy on the Task Force, the original appointing authority, using the criteria set forth in this Section for the original appointment, shall fill the vacancy.

(e) The Task Force shall meet at least quarterly or more frequently at the call of the Chair.

(f) The Task Force Chair may establish committees for the purpose of making special studies pursuant to its duties and may appoint non-Task Force members to serve on each committee as resource persons. Resource persons shall be voting members of the committees. Committees may meet with the frequency needed to accomplish the purposes of this Section.

(g) Members of the Task Force are entitled to a per diem and reimbursement for their necessary travel and subsistence expenses incurred in performing their duties.

(h) A majority of the Task Force shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of its business.

(i) The Task Force shall have the following duties:

(1) To obtain from the Department of Public Health, if available, the Department's review of statistical and qualitative data on the prevalence and burden of cervical cancer. If such a review is not available from the Department, the Task Force shall undertake such a review.

(2) To raise public awareness on the causes and nature of cervical cancer, personal risk factors, the value of prevention, early detection, options for testing, treatment costs, new technology, medical care reimbursement, and physician education.

(3) To identify priority strategies, new technologies, or newly introduced vaccines that are effective in preventing and controlling the risk of cervical cancer.

(4) To identify and examine the limitations of existing laws, regulations, programs, and services with regard to coverage and awareness issues for cervical cancer, including requiring insurance or other coverage for Pap smears and mammograms in accordance with the most recently published American Cancer Society guidelines.

(5) To develop a statewide comprehensive Cervical Cancer Prevention Plan and strategies for implementing the Plan and for promoting the Plan to the general public, State and local elected officials, and various public and private organizations, associations, businesses, industries, and agencies.

(6) To identify strategies to facilitate specific commitments to help implement the Cervical Cancer Prevention Plan from the entities listed in paragraph (8).

(7) To facilitate coordination of and communication between State and local agencies and organizations regarding current or future involvement in achieving the aims of the Cervical Cancer Prevention Plan.

(8) To receive and to consider reports and testimony from individuals, local health departments, community-based organizations, voluntary health organizations, and other public and private organizations statewide to learn more about their contributions to cervical cancer diagnosis, prevention, and treatment and more about their ideas for improving cervical cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment in Illinois.

(j) On or before April 1, 2005, and on or before April 1 each year thereafter, the Task Force shall submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly. Each annual report shall address the following:

(1) The progress being made in fulfilling the duties of the Task Force and in developing the Cervical Cancer Prevention Plan.

(2) The anticipated time frame for completion of the Cervical Cancer Prevention Plan.

(3) Recommended strategies or actions to reduce the occurrence of and burdens suffered from cervical cancer by citizens of this State.

(k) The Task Force shall expire on April 1, 2009, or upon submission of the Task Force's final report to the Governor and the General Assembly, whichever occurs earlier.

(l) The Department of Public Health shall use moneys appropriated to it to implement this Section.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.