PRINTER'S NO. 1927
No. 1573 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY SEIP, EACHUS, BRENNAN, CALTAGIRONE, FREEMAN,
HORNAMAN, MAHONEY, MUNDY, SANTONI, SIPTROTH, SOLOBAY, THOMAS,
WANSACZ, YUDICHAK, JOSEPHS AND DALEY, JUNE 18, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LABOR RELATIONS, JUNE 18, 2007
AN ACT
1 Establishing the Pennsylvania Center for Health Careers and the
2 Health Careers Leadership Council.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Short title.
6 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Health Care
7 Reform Accessibility Act.
8 Section 2. Definitions.
9 The following words and phrases, when used in this act, shall
10 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
11 context clearly indicates otherwise:
12 "Center." The Pennsylvania Center for Health Careers.
13 "Department." The Department of Labor and Industry of the
14 Commonwealth.
15 "Health care worker." An employee, independent contractor,
16 licensee or other individual authorized to provide health care
17 services in a health care facility or who is engaged in public
1 health activities.
2 "Leadership council." The Health Careers Leadership Council.
3 "Secretary." The Secretary of Labor and Industry of the
4 Commonwealth.
5 Section 3. Pennsylvania Center for Health Careers.
6 (a) Establishment.--The Pennsylvania Center for Health
7 Careers is established within the department. The center will
8 provide a focused direction and purpose for the development of
9 strategies to address the Commonwealth's short-term and long-
10 term health care work force challenges to ensure the quality and
11 supply of such work force by:
12 (1) Increasing the capacity of nursing education in this
13 Commonwealth.
14 (2) Retaining health care workers.
15 (3) Increasing diversity of health care workers.
16 (4) Responding to the demand for allied health
17 professionals that provide critical care.
18 (5) Addressing the needs of direct care workers.
19 (b) Powers and duties.--The center shall have the following
20 powers and duties:
21 (1) Determine the health care work force needs of this
22 Commonwealth through research, outreach and study.
23 (2) Research best practices in addressing similar work
24 force needs in other states.
25 (3) Assess the effectiveness of the initiatives,
26 programs and projects the center undertakes.
27 (4) Assist and implement the initiatives and strategies
28 of the council.
29 (5) Develop recruitment and workplace tools that assist
30 health care facilities to increase the diversity of their
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1 work force and promote the delivery of culturally appropriate
2 care.
3 (6) Assess the current capacity of medical education
4 within the Commonwealth's medical schools and training
5 programs.
6 (7) Assess current and needed efforts addressing
7 recruitment and retention of physicians and other health care
8 professionals.
9 (c) Leadership council.--The center shall be governed by the
10 Health Careers Leadership Council which shall consist of the
11 following members:
12 (1) The secretary, the Secretary of State, the Secretary
13 of Health, the Secretary of Public Welfare or their
14 designees.
15 (2) Four members of the General Assembly:
16 (i) Two members of the Senate, one appointed by the
17 President pro tempore of the Senate and one appointed by
18 the Minority Leader of the Senate.
19 (ii) Two members of the House of Representatives,
20 one appointed by the Speaker of the House of
21 Representatives and one appointed by the Minority Leader
22 of the House of Representatives.
23 (3) The following additional members in the number as
24 may be determined by the Governor and to be appointed by the
25 Governor in consultation with the Pennsylvania Workforce
26 Investment Board:
27 (i) Health care workers and health care-related
28 professionals and organizations, including employers,
29 employees and educators.
30 (ii) Representatives of labor organizations
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1 representing the types of individuals and organizations
2 under subparagraph (i).
3 (4) Members of the leadership council shall serve at the
4 pleasure of their respective appointing authorities. Members
5 shall not receive compensation for their service as members
6 of the council but shall be reimbursed for reasonable and
7 necessary expenses in the performance of their duties in
8 accordance with Commonwealth policy with the approval of the
9 secretary.
10 (5) The Governor shall designate a member or members of
11 the leadership council to serve as chair or cochairs.
12 (6) The leadership council shall have the following
13 powers and duties:
14 (i) Determine the organization, procedures and
15 priorities of the center.
16 (ii) Develop initiatives, programs and projects for
17 the center to address the health care work force needs of
18 the Commonwealth.
19 (iii) Apply for grants and seek other revenue
20 sources, including General Fund appropriations through
21 the department's budget.
22 (iv) Do all other acts necessary to carry out the
23 purposes and policies of this section.
24 (d) Administration.--The department shall provide
25 administrative support to the leadership council. The center
26 shall use and have access to any information, services,
27 functions and other resources in the possession of Commonwealth
28 agencies deemed necessary to the fulfillment of its
29 responsibilities under this section.
30 Section 10. Effective date.
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1 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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