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2011 SESSION

11100997D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 635
Offered January 12, 2011
Prefiled January 12, 2011
Establishing a joint subcommittee to study the implementation of the insurance provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Report.
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Patrons-- Kilgore and McClellan
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was signed into law on March 23, 2010; and

WHEREAS, two of PPACA's numerous objectives are to improve health insurance coverage through the establishment of exchanges and to institute reforms in health insurance markets; and

WHEREAS, while PPACA leaves numerous implementation decisions to states, states that fail to implement its provisions face the prospects that some existing health insurance laws will be preempted by the federal provisions and that agencies of the federal government will assume authority to establish and operate programs and functions; and

WHEREAS, the Governor has established the Virginia Health Reform Initiative Council and charged it with going beyond federal health reform and recommending other innovative health care solutions that meet the needs of Virginia’s citizens and government; and

WHEREAS, though two members of the House of Delegates and two members of the Senate serve on the Virginia Health Reform Initiative Council, it is important that the General Assembly establish a body to focus on developing and reviewing legislative changes that may be necessary to ensure that the interests of Virginians are considered and protected as the Commonwealth implements PPACA's insurance provisions; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That a joint subcommittee be established to study the implementation of the insurance provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The joint subcommittee shall have a total membership of 10 legislative members who shall be appointed as follows: six members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates and four members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. The joint subcommittee shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership.

In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall monitor the work of the Virginia Health Reform Initiative Council, monitor the actions of the State Corporation Commission in implementing the insurance provisions of PPACA, and make recommendations to appropriate public bodies regarding legislation necessary to implement such provisions of PPACA.

Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the House of Delegates. Legal, research, policy analysis, and other services as requested by the joint subcommittee shall be provided by the Division of Legislative Services. Technical assistance shall be provided by the State Corporation Commission, the Department of Health, and the Department of Medical Assistance Services. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the joint subcommittee for this study, upon request.

The joint subcommittee shall be limited to four meetings for the 2011 interim and four meetings for the 2012 interim, and the direct costs of this study shall not exceed $10,000 for each year without approval as set out in this resolution. Approval for unbudgeted nonmember-related expenses shall require the written authorization of the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk. If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required.

No recommendation of the joint subcommittee shall be adopted if a majority of the House members or a majority of the Senate members appointed to the joint subcommittee (i) vote against the recommendation and (ii) vote for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote of the joint subcommittee.

The joint subcommittee shall complete its meetings for the first year by November 30, 2011, and for the second year by November 30, 2012, and the chairman shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the next Regular Session of the General Assembly for each year. Each executive summary shall state whether the joint subcommittee intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summaries and reports shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee. The Committee may approve or disapprove expenditures for this study, extend or delay the period for the conduct of the study, or authorize additional meetings during the interims.