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2017 SESSION

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17104476D
HOUSE BILL NO. 2457 Offered January 20, 2017 A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.2-212 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Health and Human Resources Secretariat; single state agency for data collection and sharing. ---------- Patrons-- Garrett and Landes ---------- Referred to Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 2.2-212 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 2.2-212. Position established; agencies for which responsible; additional powers.

A. The position of Secretary of Health and Human Resources (the Secretary) is created. The Secretary of Health and Human Resources shall be responsible to the Governor for the following agencies: Department of Health, Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired, Department of Health Professions, Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Social Services, Department of Medical Assistance Services, Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing, the Office of Children's Services, and the Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority. The Governor may, by executive order, assign any other state executive agency to the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, or reassign any agency listed above to another Secretary.

B. The agencies of the Secretariat shall be deemed a single state agency for the purposes of data collection and sharing and shall share data, records, and information about applicants for and recipients of services from the agencies of the Secretariat, to the extent allowed by federal law, for the purposes of (i) streamlining administrative processes and reducing administrative burdens on the agencies, (ii) reducing paperwork and administrative burdens on the applicants and recipients, and (iii) increasing access to and quality of services provided by the agencies.

C. Unless the Governor expressly reserves such power to himself, the Secretary shall (i) serve as the lead Secretary for the coordination and implementation of the long-term care policies of the Commonwealth and for the blueprint for livable communities 2025 throughout the Commonwealth, working with the Secretaries of Transportation, Commerce and Trade, and Education, and the Commissioner of Insurance, to facilitate interagency service development and implementation, communication and cooperation,; (ii) serve as the lead Secretary for the Children's Services Act, working with the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to facilitate interagency service development and implementation, communication and cooperation,; and (iii) coordinate the disease prevention activities of agencies in the Secretariat to ensure efficient, effective delivery of health related services and financing.

2. That the Secretary of Health and Human Resources shall report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the implementation of the provisions of this act by October 1, 2017.