SF 742

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 02/10/2017 08:59am

A bill for an act
relating to health; establishing a program requiring the commissioner of health to
conduct health impact assessments on topics selected by the Legislative Audit
Commission; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2016, section
3.97, by adding a subdivision; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
chapter 144.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 3.97, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:

new text begin Subd. 3c. new text end

new text begin Health impact assessments. new text end

new text begin (a) The commission shall select up to five topics
per year in which the commissioner of health shall prepare a health impact assessment
according to section 144.9991. Legislators and legislative committees may suggest topics
for assessment, including a proposed policy, plan, program, or project, or a proposed
legislative or budgetary change. The commission shall give priority to topics that are likely,
upon evaluation, to identify factors that could affect the public's overall health, health care
costs, or the risk of specific illnesses.
new text end

new text begin (b) Upon request of the commission, the commissioner of health shall conduct an
evaluation of a proposed topic according to section 144.9991, subdivision 2. The
commissioner shall report the results of the evaluation to the commission and to the legislator
or chair of the legislative committee who submitted the proposed topic.
new text end

new text begin (c) The commission shall determine within 30 days of receiving the commissioner of
health's evaluation of the proposed topic, whether to require the commissioner to prepare
a health impact assessment. The commission must convey its decision to the commissioner
of health and to the legislator or chair of the legislative committee who proposed the topic
to be assessed, including the reasons for its decision. If the decision is to proceed, the
commissioner of health shall conduct the health impact assessment according to section
144.9991.
new text end

Sec. 2.

new text begin [144.9991] HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENTS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin General; goals. new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, "health impact
assessment" means a systematic process that uses an array of data sources and analytic
methods, as well as input from stakeholders to determine potential health effects of a
proposed policy, plan, program, or project on the health of a population and the distribution
of those effects within the population.
new text end

new text begin (b) In preparing a health impact assessment, the commissioner shall:
new text end

new text begin (1) investigate the health implications of a proposed project, program, or policy to
improve health in areas where health may otherwise not be considered;
new text end

new text begin (2) proactively identify and provide recommendations to mitigate potential risks, address
community concerns, and focus on high-priority community health issues;
new text end

new text begin (3) systematically examine the physical, economic, social, and cultural attributes of a
proposed project, program, or policy to identify factors that could affect both the public's
health overall and the risk of specific illnesses;
new text end

new text begin (4) identify and evaluate the impact on state, local, and private health care costs to the
extent permitted under existing authority; and
new text end

new text begin (5) provide policy makers at the state and local level with clear, transparent information
to balance health effects with other considerations.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Evaluation. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner shall conduct an evaluation of the proposed
topics received from the Legislative Audit Commission under section 3.97, subdivision 3c.
The evaluation shall assess the scope and cost of conducting the health impact assessment
and whether the assessment would provide important health information and further the
goals described in subdivision 1.
new text end

new text begin (b) In conducting the evaluation, the commissioner shall also consider:
new text end

new text begin (1) the geographic boundaries of the topic area;
new text end

new text begin (2) the prevailing health-related challenges and needs;
new text end

new text begin (3) the impacts on health disparities;
new text end

new text begin (4) economic and business factors; and
new text end

new text begin (5) stakeholder interest and the capacity to involve stakeholders in the process.
new text end

new text begin (c) The commissioner may consult with the University of Minnesota School of Public
Health as part of the evaluation of a proposed topic to assist with issues of scope and
scalability.
new text end

new text begin (d) The commissioner shall submit the completed evaluation to the Legislative Audit
Commission within 30 days of receipt of the topic for evaluation from the Legislative Audit
Commission.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Health impact assessments. new text end

new text begin (a) Within available appropriations, the
commissioner shall prepare a health impact assessment as directed by the Legislative Audit
Commission under section 3.97, subdivision 3c.
new text end

new text begin (b) The health impact assessment must include:
new text end

new text begin (1) a description of the baseline health status of the affected community using the most
current available data; and
new text end

new text begin (2) an analysis of potential health risks and benefits that relies on a broad range of existing
data sources, stakeholder input, and when necessary other publicly available data.
new text end

new text begin (c) The commissioner shall provide the completed health impact assessment report to
the Legislative Audit Commission and the chairs and ranking minority members of the
relevant legislative committees. The commissioner shall also provide a copy of the completed
assessment to the Legislative Reference Library and access to it through the department's
Web site.
new text end

new text begin (d) The completed assessment report must include the cost of evaluating, conducting,
and preparing the health impact assessment.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Monitoring. new text end

new text begin Within available appropriations, the commissioner shall monitor
for a period of at least 24 months the health or health risk factors identified in each completed
health impact assessment and evaluate the outcome of the measures that are implemented
to address these factors. The commissioner shall report the results to the chairs and ranking
minority members of the relevant legislative committees. Monitoring may continue past
the 24-month time period within available appropriations.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS.
new text end

new text begin $....... is appropriated in the 2018-2019 biennium from the general fund to the
commissioner of health for the cost of evaluating, conducting, and preparing health impact
assessments under Minnesota Statutes, section 144.9991.
new text end