HCS SS SCS SB 74 & 49 -- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SENIOR SERVICES

SPONSOR:  Champion (Cooper, 155)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Health
Care Policy by a vote of 9 to 0.

This substitute changes the laws regarding programs administered
by the Department of Health and Senior Services.  In its main
provisions, the substitute:

(1)  Specifies that beginning April 1, 2007, immunizations
administered to children under the age of three and knowingly
pregnant women cannot contain more than one microgram of mercury
per five-tenths milliliter dose;

(2)  Allows the department director to exempt the use of a
vaccine from compliance with the mercury requirement in the event
of a public health emergency;

(3)  Specifies that newborn screening requirements are not
limited to the disorders and conditions currently listed in law;

(4)  Requires health care employers to make information available
to employees about the risk of exposure to Hepatitis C;

(5)  Requires the department to maintain a Missouri Hepatitis C
web site about the availability of testing for Hepatitis C and
information about hepatitis;

(6)  Creates in the state treasury the Department of Health and
Senior Services Administrative and Cost Allocation Fund and the
Department of Health and Senior Services Disaster Fund.  The
administrative and cost allocation fund will receive funding by
appropriations, deposits, and moneys transferred or paid to the
department in return for goods and services provided.  The
disaster fund will be used during a state of emergency at the
direction of the Governor to furnish immediate aid and relief;

(7)  Allows any interest earned on the Missouri Public Health
Services Fund to accrue to the fund and not lapse to the credit
of the general revenue at the end of the biennium;

(8)  Requires a birth certificate to be filed within five days,
instead of the current seven days, certifying the place, time,
and date of the live birth by a signature or an electronic
process approved by the department; and

(9)  Allows medical certifications filed when applying for a
certificate of death to have their accuracy attested to by either
a signature or an electronic process approved by the department.

Certain sections of the substitute contain an emergency clause.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Cost on General Revenue Fund of $41,000
to Unknown in FY 2006, FY 2007, and FY 2008.  Estimated Income on
Other State Funds of $41,000 to Unknown in FY 2006, FY 2007, and
FY 2008.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill will help protect the
youngest children who may be affected by mercury-based
preservatives in vaccines, restore parental confidence in
vaccines, and keep the rate of immunization for children high.

Testifying for the bill were Senator Champion; Lujean Clark; and
Missouri First.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Amy Woods, Senior Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
93rd General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated August 25, 2005 at 1:21 pm