GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

S	2 

SENATE BILL 476*
Appropriations Committee Substitute Adopted 6/4/97

Short Title:  Osteoporosis Task Force.	(Public)

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Sponsors:

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Referred to:  

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March 25, 1997

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE OSTEOPOROSIS PREVENTION TASK FORCE, AND TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS THEREFOR.
Whereas, osteoporosis, a disease characterized by low bone mass that increases bone fragility and susceptibility to fracture, is a major public health problem that threatens the health and quality of life of as many as 28 million Americans and their families, and as many as 749,494 North Carolinians, their families, family caregivers, and friends; and
Whereas, North Carolinians sustain 32,000 fractures each year from osteoporosis, costing $125 million in direct medical treatment; and
Whereas, the annual direct and indirect costs of osteoporosis to the health care system are estimated to have been as high as $14 billion in 1995 and expected to rise to $60-$80 billion by the year 2020; and
Whereas, most people, including physicians, health care providers, and government agencies lack knowledge in the prevention, detection, and treatment of the disease; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. (a) The North Carolina Osteoporosis Prevention Task Force is created in the Division of Health Promotion, Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources.
(b) The Task Force shall have 25 members.  The Governor shall appoint the Chair, and the Vice-Chair shall be elected by the Task Force.  The Director of the Division of Health Promotion in the Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, the Director of the Division of Medical Assistance in the Department of Human Resources, and the Director of the Division of Aging in the Department of Human Resources, or their designees, shall be members of the Task Force.  Appointments to the Task Force shall be made as follows:
(1)	By the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, as follows:
a.	Two members of the Senate;
b.	A representative of a women's health organization;
c.	A local health director;
d.	A certified health educator;
e.	A representative of the North Carolina Association of Area Agencies on Aging; and
f.	A person with osteoporosis.
(2)	By the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as follows:
a.	Two members of the House of Representatives;
b.	A county commissioner;
c.	A licensed dietitian/nutritionist;
d.	A pharmacist;
e.	A registered nurse; and
f.	A person with osteoporosis.
(3)	By the Governor, as follows:
a.	A practicing family physician, rheumatologist, or endocrinologist;
b.	A president or chief executive officer of a business upon recommendation of a North Carolina wellness council which is a member of the Wellness Councils of America;
c.	A news director of a newspaper or television or radio station;
d.	A representative of a North Carolina affiliate of the National Osteoporosis Foundation;
e.	A representative from the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service;
f.	A representative of the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Health; and
g.	Two members at large.
(c)	Each appointing authority shall assure insofar as possible that its appointees to the Task Force reflect the composition of the North Carolina population with regard to ethnic, racial, age, gender, and religious composition.
(d)	The General Assembly and the Governor shall make their appointments to the Task Force not later than 30 days after the adjournment of the 1997 General Assembly.  A vacancy on the Task Force shall be filled by the original appointing authority, using the criteria set out in this section for the original appointment.
(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 and shall receive subsistence and travel expenses in accordance with G.S. 138-5 and G.S. 138-6.  Committees may meet with the frequency needed to accomplish the purposes of this section.
(g)  Members of the Task Force shall receive per diem and necessary travel and subsistence expenses in accordance with G.S. 120-3.1, 138-5, and 138-6, as applicable.
(h)  A majority of the Task Force shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of its business.
(i)  The Task Force may use funds allocated to it to establish two positions and for other expenditures needed to assist the Task Force in carrying out its duties.
(j)  The Osteoporosis Prevention Task Force has the following duties:
(1)	To undertake a statistical and qualitative examination of the incidence of and causes of osteoporosis deaths and risks, including identification of subpopulations at highest risk for developing osteoporosis, and establish a profile of the osteoporosis burden in North Carolina.
(2)	To raise public awareness on the causes and nature of osteoporosis, personal risk factors, value of prevention and early detection, and options for diagnosing and treating the disease.
(3)	To identify priority strategies which are effective in preventing and controlling risks for osteoporosis, and in diagnosing and treating osteoporosis.
(4)	To identify, examine limitations of, and recommend to the Governor and the General Assembly changes to existing laws, regulations, programs, services, and policies to enhance osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for the people of North Carolina.
(5)	To determine and recommend to the Governor and the General Assembly the funding and strategies needed to enact new or to modify existing laws, regulations, programs, services, and policies to enhance osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for the people of North Carolina.
(6)	To adopt and promote a statewide comprehensive Osteoporosis Prevention Plan to the general public, State and local elected officials, various public and private organizations and associations, businesses and industries, agencies, potential funding sources, and other community resources.
(7)	To identify and facilitate specific commitments to help implement the Plan from the entities listed in subdivision (6) above.
(8)	To facilitate coordination of and communication among State and local agencies and organizations regarding current or future involvement in achieving the aims of the Osteoporosis Prevention Plan.
(9)	To receive and 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 osteoporosis diagnosis, prevention, and treatment, and their ideas for improving osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis, and treatment in North Carolina.
(k)  The Task Force shall submit to the Governor and to the General Assembly a preliminary report by January 1, 1998; an interim report within the first week of the convening of the 1999 General Assembly; and a final report by October 1, 1999.  The reports shall address the Plan, actions and resources needed to fully implement the Plan, and progress in achieving implementation of the Plan to reduce the occurrence of and burden from osteoporosis in North Carolina.  The reports shall include an accounting of funds expended and anticipated funding needs for full implementation of recommended plans and programs.
(l)  Upon submission of its final report to the Governor and the 1999 General Assembly, the Task Force shall expire.
Section 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1997.