Bill Text: HI HB1272 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Department of Health to Department of Health and Environmental Services
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-01-28 - Referred to EEP/HLT, JUD, referral sheet 7 [HB1272 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2013-HB1272-Introduced.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1272 |
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TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to health.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that a clean environment is essential for the overall health and well-being of the citizens of Hawaii. Over the last thirty years, the protection of the environment has been and continues to be a focus of the United States as a whole. This has led to the creation of several federal measures aimed at recognizing the intertwined relationship between human health and the environment, including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clear Air Act, and the Clean Water Act.
The legislature further recognizes the complex scale of environmental issues, with culture, local events, and global events all playing a role. To this end, the purpose of this Act is to rename the department of health to the department of health and environmental services. This follows the model already adopted by several other states and will demonstrate to Hawaii's citizens the State's commitment to addressing environmental issues and concerns. The renaming will also serve to bring awareness to already existing environmental procedures currently under the department of health's jurisdiction.
SECTION 2. Section 26-13, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§26-13 Department of health and environmental services. (a) The department of health and environmental services shall be headed by a single executive to be known as the director of health and environmental services.
There shall be, within the department of health
and environmental services, an advisory board to be known as the board
of health, which shall advise the director of health and environmental
services on matters within the jurisdiction of the department of health and
environmental services. The board of health shall consist of eleven voting
members appointed by the governor as provided in section 26-34 and shall include
the director of [[]human services[]] as an ex officio nonvoting
member. The appointed members shall include at least one resident of each of
the major counties including the county of Kalawao. The appointed members
shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses,
including travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties.
The department shall administer programs designed to protect, preserve, care for, and improve the physical and mental health of the people of the State. Without limit to the generality of the foregoing, the programs shall include the administration and enforcement of matters and laws of public health of the State, including the state hospital, but excluding assistance and care for the indigent and the medically indigent.
(b) The functions and authority heretofore exercised by the board of health (excluding assistance and care for the indigent and the medically indigent) and the department of institutions with respect to the state hospital and the dental health treatment function of the department of public instruction as heretofore constituted are transferred to the department of health and environmental services established by this chapter.
The governor shall define and differentiate dental health treatment from dental health instruction and shall provide for the gradual transfer of any personnel within the definition of dental health treatment to the department of health and environmental services. This section shall not be construed to require the transfer from the department of education to the department of health and environmental services of any dental hygienist having a teacher's certificate and employed by the department of public instruction immediately prior to November 25, 1959."
SECTION 3. Upon enactment of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute the words "department of health and environmental services" wherever the words "department of health" or like term, appears, as the context requires, and every reference to the department of health or director of health therein shall be construed as a reference to the department of health and environmental services and the director of health and environmental services, as appropriate.
SECTION 4. All rules, policies, procedures, guidelines, and other material adopted or developed by the department of health to implement provisions of the Hawaii Revised Statutes that are made applicable to the department of health and environmental services by this Act, shall remain in full force and effect until amended or repealed by the department of health and environmental services, pursuant to chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes.
In the interim, every reference to the department of health or the director of health in those rules, policies, procedures, guidelines, and other material is amended to refer to the department of health and environmental services or the director of health and environmental services, as appropriate.
SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Department of Health to Department of Health and Environmental Services
Description:
Renames the Department of Health to the Department of Health and Environmental Services.
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
