GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

S	1 

SENATE BILL 839

Short Title:  Medical Evaluation Program Funds.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Senator Hoyle.

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Referred to:  Appropriations.

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April 14, 1997

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THE CONTINUATION AND ENHANCEMENT OF THE MEDICAL EVALUATION PROGRAM IN THE DIVISION OF MOTOR VEHICLES AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DRIVER MEDICAL EVALUATION PROGRAM STUDY COMMISSION.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  There is appropriated from the Highway Fund to the Division of Motor Vehicles the following funds for the designated purposes for the 1997-98 fiscal year to implement the following recommendations of the Driver Medical Evaluation Program Study Commission:
(1)	$55,000 for an education program to assist older drivers based upon the American Association of Retired Persons' (AARP) "55 Alive" program; a new collaborative effort between the AARP, the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), the Driver Medical Evaluation Program (DME), and the Injury Control Section of the Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources (DEHNR).
(2)	$10,000 to print and distribute educational pamphlets to explain the Driver Medical Evaluation Program and how participants can be released from the program.
(3)	$5,000 to establish and maintain a Web Page on the Internet for DMV, including information on the Driver Medical Evaluation Program.
(4)	$79,889 to fund an additional DME Health Physician II to review cases.
(5)	$29,800 for a contract with SIPS for computer support for DMV's Medical Imaging System; including $10,400 for 520 hours of computer support and $19,400 for analyst programming services.
(6)	$25,200 for point to point data communications costs to comply with Medical Imaging System operating requirements.
(7)	$3,000 to provide for annual training for members of the Medical Review Boards to keep them current on medical information included in the updated N.C. Physician's Guidelines for Driver Medical Evaluation.
(8)	$50,000 for ongoing research to establish and verify the effectiveness of the Drivers Medical Evaluation Program in preventing accidents and improving the safety of the motoring public.
(9)	$7,000 to allow the DMV to periodically conduct Medical Review Customer Satisfaction Surveys before and after the Medical Imaging System is fully implemented to document the improvements in customer service and to seek feedback from affected drivers.
Section 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1997.