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PRINTER'S NO. 2432
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1784
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY BARBIN, BARRAR, SAINATO, READSHAW, HENNESSEY,
BERNSTINE, MURT, SCHWEYER, MILLARD, SOLOMON, HILL-EVANS,
PASHINSKI, ROZZI, SCHLOSSBERG AND DRISCOLL,
SEPTEMBER 18, 2017
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, SEPTEMBER 18, 2017
AN ACT
Providing funding to the Department of Military and Veterans
Affairs for the purpose of providing current service members
and veterans with access to high-definition fiber tracking
brain scans and supporting ongoing clinical research in this
Commonwealth involving traumatic brain injuries.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the High-
Definition Fiber Tracking (HDFT) for Veterans Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Brain scan equipment." Health care imaging equipment
capable of identifying brain damage by graphic depiction of
individual nerve tracts.
"Department." The Department of Military and Veterans
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Affairs of the Commonwealth.
"Eligible center." A health care facility designated by the
department to provide access to HDFT brain scans.
"HDFT." A brain scan employing High-Definition Fiber
Tracking technology.
Section 3. Military members and veterans.
(a) Diagnosis.--Any military veteran or active duty or
reserve member of the United States Armed Forces or National
Guard who has symptoms of traumatic brain injury or
posttraumatic stress or evidence of combat-related concussion
shall be eligible to receive diagnostic treatment through the
use of the new HDFT technology using equipment located in this
Commonwealth.
(b) Eligible centers.--The military veteran shall visit an
eligible center in order to begin the process for the use of the
diagnostic technology.
(c) Brain scan equipment.--The equipment shall be purchased
or leased and provided to eligible centers to provide access to
HDFT technology throughout this Commonwealth.
Section 4. Regulations.
The department shall promulgate regulations for the
implementation of this act. The regulations shall allow for the
maximum number of military members and veterans to be able to
use the HDFT technology.
Section 5. Appropriation.
The sum of $1,000,000, or as much thereof as may be
necessary, is appropriated to the department for the fiscal year
July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2018, to carry out the provisions
of this act.
Section 6. Funding.
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(a) Eligible centers.--Five hundred thousand dollars shall
be distributed by the department to all eligible centers
proportionally based on the number of veterans and active
members served at each eligible center. The money received by
each eligible center shall be used to pay for hardware and
software costs of the diagnostic technology and administrative
expenses of the eligible center directly related to the
provision of HDFT scans to military members and veterans.
(b) Brain scan equipment.--Five hundred thousand dollars
shall be distributed by the department to ensure availability of
the diagnostic technology at eligible centers throughout this
Commonwealth.
Section 7. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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