Public health omnibus bill

The omnibus housing and public health finance bill would decrease departmental budgets, increase revenue and target spending and policies regarding children’s issues.

Sponsored by Rep. Karen Clark (DFL-Mpls), HF2150 was approved by the House Housing Finance and Policy and Public Health Finance Division April 15 and referred to the House Finance Committee, where some provisions are expected to be separated out and incorporated into larger omnibus finance bills, such as health and human services.

The public health portion of the bill would initiate and increase several fee structures. Republican members tried unsuccessfully to delete or lower anticipated inspection fees.

Among those who could expect to pay more are hospitals, doctor offices, dentists and veterinary clinics.

Other fee changes include:

• $200 to $5,000 more than current amounts for the review and inspection of public pools and spas;

• a $4 increase for heritable/congenital disorder testing of newborns to provide support to families with children who are deaf or have hearing loss; and

• food and beverage licensing fees replace permits at recreational campgrounds and summer camp kitchens.

Licensed social workers, on the other hand, would see their fees decrease.

Two demonstration projects are in the bill: one for colorectal cancer screenings and one for women’s heart disease prevention. Both would receive $100,000. In addition, Clark successfully amended the bill to require the commissioner of health to make smoking prevention and cessation activities a top priority among low income, indigenous and minority communities when the department works in collaboration with the Clear Way organization. Clear Way receives 3 percent of the state’s tobacco settlement funds to support quit-smoking programs.

Craig Acomb, the health department’s chief financial officer, said tobacco use in American Indian communities may have other cultural implications other than just public health. Clark said her amendment is in response to requests from these communities for more support.

Through dedicated funding, the Cooper/Sams volunteer ambulance trust fund would provide money for emergency medical services training, including an ambulance apprenticeship program for returning veterans.

Children’s issues also play key roles in the bill.

On a split vote, Rep. Jeff Hayden (DFL-Mpls) successfully amended the bill to include a program to treat youth violence as a health issue. Funding for the program would be contingent upon the Health Department receiving a grant from the Department of Public Safety, which would offer the grant program through federal economic stimulus dollars. Though public safety interacts with youths after they commit a crime, the Department of Health would spend the funds for prevention efforts.

Rep. Kate Knuth (DFL-New Brighton), who sponsors legislation to identify and monitor toxic chemicals in children’s products, successfully amended an adjustment to what is being called the Toxic Free Kids Act. The act would allow the Pollution Control Agency to gather information about chemicals found in children’s products, to prioritize those chemicals, to require manufacturers to use safer alternatives if sold in the state and to share information through a national clearinghouse for consumer products information.