Source: http://wvwvermont.org/docs/2014/calendar/hc140123/
Timestamp: 2017-07-24 22:34:49
Document Index: 10779972

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1318', '§ 1318', '§ 313', '§ 1368', '§ 1368', '§ 1351', '§ 1351', '§ 1318', '§ 1368', '§ 1318', '§ 1368', '§ 1351', '§ 9420', '§ 5143', '§ 5143', '§ 4459', '§ 707', '§ 707']

hc140123
House Calendar Thursday, January 23, 2014 17th DAY OF THE ADJOURNED SESSION House Convenes at 1:00 P.M. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page No. ACTION CALENDAR Committee Bill for Second Reading H. 655 Fiscal year 2014 budget adjustments ................................................. 144 Rep. Heath for Appropriations Rep. Hubert Amendment ............................................................................... 144 Rep. Higley Amendment ............................................................................... 144 Favorable with Amendment H. 350 The posting of medical unprofessional conduct decisions and to investigators of alleged unprofessional conduct ............................................ 145 Rep. Till for Health Care H. 596 The conversion of assets of a nonprofit hospital ............................... 152 Rep. Dickinson for Commerce and Economic Development Committee of Conference Report S. 41 An act relating to water and sewer service ........................................... 153 NOTICE CALENDAR Favorable with Amendment H. 577 Ski tramways ..................................................................................... 154 Rep. Kitzmiller for Commerce and Economic Development Favorable H. 583 The charge of the Vermont Child Poverty Council ........................... 155 Rep. Krowinski for Human Services
- 144 - ORDERS OF THE DAY ACTION CALENDAR Committee Bill for Second Reading H. 655 An act relating to fiscal year 2014 budget adjustments. (Rep. Heath of Westford will speak for the Committee on Appropriations.)
Amendment to be offered by Rep. Hubert of Milton to H. 655 By striking out Sec. 1 in its entirety and inserting in lieu thereof a new Sec. 1 to read as follows: Sec. 1. 2013 Acts and Resolves No. 50, Sec. B.100 is amended to read: Sec. B.100 Secretary of administration - secretary’s office Personal services 844,340 1,032,007 Operating expenses 129,219 129,219 Total 973,559 1,161,226 Source of funds General fund 746,543 934,210 Interdepartmental transfers 227,016 227,016 Total 973,559 1,161,226 Amendment to be offered by Rep. Higley of Lowell to H. 655 First: By striking out Sec. 37 in its entirety Second: By adding a new section to be numbered Sec. 86.1 to read as follows Sec. 86.1 AGENCY OF EDUCATION; BARRE OFFICE SPACE FURNISHINGS (a) The Agency Education shall use its existing furniture for at least one year after the move to new office space in Barre to conserve funds. - 145 - Favorable with Amendment H. 350 An act relating to the posting of medical unprofessional conduct decisions and to investigators of alleged unprofessional conduct Rep. Till of Jericho, for the Committee on Health Care, recommends the bill be amended by striking all after the enacting clause and inserting in lieu thereof the following: * * * Medical Unprofessional Conduct Decisions * * * Sec. 1. 26 V.S.A. § 1318 is amended to read: § 1318. ACCESSIBILITY AND CONFIDENTIALITY OF DISCIPLINARY MATTERS (a) It is the purpose of this section both to protect the reputation of licensees from public disclosure of unwarranted complaints against them and to fulfill the public’s right to know of any action taken against a licensee when that action is based on a determination of unprofessional conduct. (b) All meetings and hearings of the board Board shall be open to the public, except in accord with 1 V.S.A. § 313. (c)(1) The commissioner of health Commissioner of Health shall prepare and maintain a register of all complaints, which shall be a public record, and which shall show: (1)(A) with respect to all complaints, the following information: (A)(i) the date and the nature of the complaint, but not including the identity of the licensee; and (B)(ii) a summary of the completed investigation; and (2)(B) only with respect to complaints resulting in filing of disciplinary charges or stipulations or the taking of disciplinary action and except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection (c), the following additional information, except for medical and other protected health information contained therein pertaining to any identifiable person that is otherwise confidential by state State or federal law: (A)(i)
the name and business addresses of the licensee and complainant; (B)(ii)
formal charges, provided they have been served or a reasonable effort to serve them has been made; (C)(iii) the findings, conclusions, and order of the board Board; - 146 - (D)(iv) the transcript of the hearing, if one has been made, and exhibits admitted at the hearing; (E)(v) stipulations presented to the board Board at a public meeting; (F)(vi) final disposition of the matter by the appellate officer or the courts; and (vii) a summary of the final disposition of the matter indicating any charges that were dismissed and any charges resulting in a finding of unprofessional conduct. (2) The Commissioner shall remove from the register any of the information described in subdivision (1)(B) of this subsection if the final disposition of the matter dismisses all charges filed against a licensee in the same action. The Commissioner shall ensure that the period for appealing an order has expired prior to removing any such information from the register, and shall remove that information within five business days of the expiration of the appeal period. (d) The commissioner Commissioner shall not make public any information regarding disciplinary complaints, proceedings, or records, except the information required to be released under this section. The Commissioner shall, upon request, provide information that was maintained on the register under subdivision (c)(1) of this section but which was later removed from the register under the provisions of subdivision (c)(2) of this section. (e) A licensee or applicant shall have the right to inspect and copy all information in the possession of the department of health Department of Health pertaining to the licensee or applicant, except investigatory files which have not resulted in charges of unprofessional conduct and attorney work product. (f) For the purposes of As used in this section, “disciplinary action” means
action that suspends, revokes, limits, or conditions licensure or certification in any way, and includes reprimands and administrative penalties. (g) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the disclosure of information by the commissioner Commissioner regarding disciplinary complaints to Vermont or other state or federal law enforcement or regulatory agencies in the execution of its duties authorized by statute or regulation, including the department of disabilities, aging, and independent living Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living or the department of financial regulation Department of Financial Regulation in the course of its investigations about an identified licensee, provided the agency or department agrees to maintain the confidentiality and privileged status of the information as provided in subsection (d) of this section. - 147 - (h) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the board Board, at its discretion, from sharing investigative and adjudicatory files of an identified licensee with another state, territorial, or international medical board at any time during the investigational or adjudicative process. (i) Neither the commissioner Commissioner nor any person who received documents, material, or information while acting under the authority of the commissioner Commissioner shall be permitted or required to testify in any private civil action concerning any confidential documents, material, or information. Sec. 2. 26 V.S.A. § 1368 is amended to read: § 1368. DATA REPOSITORY; LICENSEE PROFILES (a) A data repository is created within the department of health Department of Health which will be responsible for the compilation of all data required under this section and any other law or rule which requires the reporting of such information. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, licensees shall promptly report and the department Department shall collect the following information to create individual profiles on all health care professionals licensed, certified, or registered by the department Department, pursuant to the provisions of this title, in a format created by the Department that shall be available for dissemination to the public: (1) A description of any criminal convictions for felonies and serious misdemeanors, as determined by the commissioner of health Commissioner of Health, within the most recent 10 years. For the purposes of this subdivision, a person shall be deemed to be convicted of a crime if he or she pleaded guilty or was found or adjudged guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. (2) A description of any charges to which a health care professional pleads nolo contendere or where sufficient facts of guilt were found and the matter was continued without a finding by a court of competent jurisdiction. (3)(A)
A description of any formal charges served, findings, conclusions, and orders of the licensing authority, and final disposition of matters by the courts within the most recent 10 years, and a summary of the final disposition of such matters indicating any charges that were dismissed and any charges resulting in a finding of unprofessional conduct. (B) The Department shall remove from the data repository any charges, findings, conclusions, and order if the final disposition of the matter dismissed all charges filed against the licensee in the same action. The Department shall ensure that the period for appealing an order has expired prior to removing any such information from the data repository, and shall - 148 - remove that information within five business days of the expiration of the appeal period. (4)(A)
A description of any formal charges served by licensing authorities, findings, conclusions, and orders of such licensing authorities, and final disposition of matters by the courts in other states within the most recent 10 years. (B) Upon request of the licensee, the Department shall remove from the data repository any charges, findings, conclusions, and order if the final disposition of the matter dismissed all charges filed against the licensee in the same action. The Department shall confirm the dismissal and shall ensure that the period for appealing an order has expired prior to removing any such information from the data repository, and shall remove that information within five business days of the expiration of the appeal period. (5) A description of revocation or involuntary restriction of hospital privileges for reasons related to competence or character that has been issued by the hospital’s governing body or any other official of the hospital after
procedural due process has been afforded, or the resignation from, or nonrenewal of, medical staff membership or the restriction of privileges at a hospital taken in lieu of, or in settlement of, a pending disciplinary case related to competence or character in that hospital. Only cases which have occurred within the most recent 10 years shall be disclosed by the board Board to the public. (6)(A) All medical malpractice court judgments and all medical malpractice arbitration awards in which a payment is awarded to a complaining party during the last 10 years, and all settlements of medical malpractice claims in which a payment is made to a complaining party within the last 10 years. Dispositions of paid claims shall be reported in a minimum of three graduated categories, indicating the level of significance of the award or settlement, if valid comparison data are available for the profession or specialty. Information concerning paid medical malpractice claims shall be put in context by comparing an individual health care professional’s medical
malpractice judgment awards and settlements to the experience of other health care professionals within the same specialty within the New England region or nationally. The commissioner Commissioner may, in consultation with the Vermont medical society Medical Society, report comparisons of individual health care professionals covered under this section to all similar health care professionals within the New England region or nationally. (B) Comparisons of malpractice payment data shall be accompanied by: - 149 - (i) an explanation of the fact that professionals treating certain patients and performing certain procedures are more likely to be the subject of litigation than others; (ii) a statement that the report reflects data for the last 10 years, and the recipient should take into account the number of years the professional has been in practice when considering the data; (iii) an explanation that an incident giving rise to a malpractice claim may have occurred years before any payment was made, due to the time lawsuits take to move through the legal system; (iv) an explanation of the possible effect of treating high-risk patients on a professional’s malpractice history; and (v) an explanation that malpractice cases may be settled for reasons other than liability. (C)(i) Information concerning all settlements shall be accompanied by the following statement: “Settlement of a claim may occur for a variety of
reasons which do not necessarily reflect negatively on the professional competence or conduct of the health care professional. A payment in settlement of a medical malpractice action or claim should not be construed as creating a presumption that medical malpractice has occurred.” Nothing herein
shall be construed to limit or prevent the licensing authority from providing further explanatory information regarding the significance of categories in which settlements are reported. (ii) Pending malpractice claims and actual amounts paid by or on behalf of a professional in connection with a malpractice judgment, award, or settlement shall not be disclosed by the commissioner of health Commissioner of Health or by the licensing authority to the public. Nothing herein shall be construed to prevent the licensing authority from investigating and disciplining a health care professional on the basis of medical malpractice claims that are pending. (7) The names of medical professional schools and dates of graduation. (8) Graduate medical education. (9) Specialty board certification. (10) The number of years in practice. (11) The names of the hospitals where the health care professional has privileges. (12) Appointments to medical school or professional school faculties, and indication as to whether the health care professional has had a - 150 - responsibility for teaching graduate medical education within the last 10 years. (13) Information regarding publications in peer-reviewed medical literature within the last 10 years. (14) Information regarding professional or community service activities and awards. (15) The location of the health care professional’s primary practice
setting. (16) The identification of any translating services that may be available at the health care professional’s primary practice location. (17) An indication of whether the health care professional participates in the Medicaid program, and is currently accepting new patients. (b) The department Department shall provide individual health care professionals with a copy of their profiles prior to the initial release to the public and each time a physician’s profile is modified or amended. A health
care professional shall be provided a reasonable time to correct factual inaccuracies that appear in such profile, and may elect to have his or her profile omit the information required under subdivisions (a)(12) through (14) of this section. In collecting information for such profiles and in disseminating the same, the department Department shall inform health care professionals that they may choose not to provide such information required under subdivisions (a)(12) through (14). (c)
The profile shall include the following conspicuous statement:
profile contains information which may be used as a starting point in evaluating the professional. This profile should not, however, be your sole basis for selecting a professional.” * * * Certification of Board of Medical Practice Investigators * * * Sec. 3. 26 V.S.A. § 1351 is amended to read: § 1351. BOARD OF MEDICAL PRACTICE * * * (f)(1) Classified state State employees who are employed as investigators by the department of health Department of Health who have successfully met currently meet the standards of training for a full-time law enforcement officer under 20 V.S.A. chapter 151 shall have the same powers as sheriffs in criminal matters and the enforcement of the law and in serving criminal process, and shall have all the immunities and matters of defense now available or hereafter made available to sheriffs in a suit brought against them in consequence for acts done in the course of their employment. - 151 - (2) Board of Medical Practice investigators employed by the Department of Health who do not currently meet the standards of training for a full-time law enforcement officer under 20 V.S.A. chapter 151 shall annually obtain a minimum of 25 hours of training regarding the methods of conducting investigations of alleged unprofessional conduct, as approved by the Board. (3) Any Board of Medical Practice investigator employed by the Department of Health shall obtain as soon as practicable and thereafter maintain certification by a nationally or regionally recognized entity regarding the investigation of licensing cases, as approved by the Board. * * * Applicability and Effective Dates * * * Sec. 4. APPLICABILITY OF SECS. 1 AND 2; SUMMARIES OF FINAL DISPOSITIONS (a) The provisions of Sec. 1 of this act, 26 V.S.A. § 1318(c)(1)(B)(vii), which require the Commissioner of Health to provide a summary of the final disposition of unprofessional conduct matters, shall only apply to final dispositions entered on and after the effective date of Sec. 1. (b) The provisions of Sec. 2 of this act, 26 V.S.A. § 1368(a)(3)(A), which require the Department of Health to provide a summary of the final disposition of unprofessional conduct matters, shall only apply to final dispositions entered on and after the effective date of Sec. 2. Sec. 5. REPORT BY BOARD OF MEDICAL PRACTICE; INVESTIGATION METHODS By January 15, 2015, the Board of Medical Practice shall report to the House Committee on Health Care and the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare on its work to review and modify, as appropriate, its policies and procedures for investigating unprofessional conduct cases, after accepting from interested stakeholders any suggestions regarding this issue. The report shall address any changes the Board has made in its policies and procedures regarding those investigations. Sec. 6. EFFECTIVE DATES This act shall take effect on passage, except: (1) Sec. 1 (amending 26 V.S.A. § 1318) shall take effect on July 1, 2014; (2) Sec. 2 (amending 26 V.S.A. § 1368) shall take effect on July 1, 2015; and - 152 - (3) Sec. 3 (amending 26 V.S.A. § 1351) shall take effect on July 1, 2014. ( Committee Vote: 11-0-0)
H. 596 An act relating to the conversion of assets of a nonprofit hospital Rep. Dickinson of St. Albans Town, for the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development, recommends the bill be amended as follows: In Sec. 1, 18 V.S.A. § 9420(e) (action by the Attorney General), by striking out subdivision (1)(B) in its entirety and by inserting in lieu thereof a new subdivision (1)(B) to read as follows: (B) The Court may order appropriate relief in such circumstances, including avoidance of the conversion or transfer of the converted assets or proceeds or the amount of any private inurement to a person or party for use consistent with the purposes for which the assets were held prior to the conversion, a penalty of up to $1 million, and the award of costs of investigation and prosecution under this subsection (e), including the reasonable value of legal services. (2) In determining whether to grant relief under this subsection, and the nature of such relief, the Court shall consider: (A) whether the violation was willful; (B) whether any person has derived, or may derive, an economic benefit from the conversion; (C) whether the purposes for which the assets had been held by the nonprofit hospital have been frustrated by the violation; (D) whether the interests of the public or the community served by the nonprofit hospital would be jeopardized by voiding the conversion; and (E) how any monetary penalty imposed would affect the community served by the nonprofit hospital. ( Committee Vote: 11-0-0)
- 153 - Committee of Conference Report S. 41 An act relating to water and sewer service TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: The Committee of Conference to which were referred the disagreeing votes of the two Houses upon Senate Bill entitled: S. 41 An act relating to water and sewer service
Respectfully report that they have met and considered the same and recommend that the bill be amended by striking all after the enacting clause and inserting in lieu thereof the following: Sec. 1. 24
V.S.A. § 5143 is amended to read: § 5143. DISCONNECTION OF SERVICE * * * (c) The tenant of a rental dwelling noticed for disconnection due to the delinquency of the ratepayer shall have the right to request and pay for continued service from the utility or reconnection of water and sewer service for the rental dwelling, which the utility shall provide. If any water and sewer charges or fees are included in the tenant’s rent, the tenant may deduct the cost
of any water and sewer service charges or fees paid to the municipality from his or her rent pursuant to 9 V.S.A. § 4459. Under such circumstances, the utility shall not require the tenant to pay any arrearage greater than one billing cycle. Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE This act shall take effect on passage. Rep. Ronald E. Hubert Rep. Linda J. Martin Rep. Anne H. Mook Committee on the part of the House
Sen. Anthony Pollina Sen. Eldred French Sen. Joseph C. Benning Committee on the part of the Senate
- 154 - NOTICE CALENDAR Favorable with Amendment H. 577 An act relating to ski tramways Rep. Kitzmiller of Montpelier, for the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development, recommends the bill be amended by striking all after the enacting clause and inserting in lieu thereof the following: Sec. 1. 31 V.S.A. § 707 is amended to read: § 707. REGISTRATION AND FEES
* * * (f) Fee-due-state payment plans. The Commissioner has discretion to authorize a tramway operator to enter a payment plan to pay some or all of the fee-due-state after November 1 upon a showing of financial need. The authorization and terms of any payment plan shall be in writing and set a date or dates for payment, provided that the total amount of the fee-due-state shall be paid no later than January 15. Failure to pay on November 1 or pursuant to an authorized plan may subject the operator to the penalties established in section 712 of this title.
- 155 - (b) Operating without paying fee-due-state. Any operator who operates a passenger tramway without paying the fee-due-state as provided in section 707 of this title shall be fined not more than $50.00 for each day of operation.
- 156 - website: http://finance.vermont.gov/state_budget/rec
. Requests for interpreters should be made to the office by 3:00 p.m. on Monday, January 27, 2014. February 5, 2014 - House Chamber – 5:00-8:00pm - H112 GMO Labeling – Senate Agriculture and Senate Judiciary Information Notice Deadline for Introducing Bills Pursuant to Rule 40(b) of the Rules and Orders of the Vermont House of Representatives, during the second year of the biennium, except with the prior consent of the Committee on Rules, no member may introduce a bill into the House drafted in standard form after the last day of January. In order to meet this deadline all sign out sheets must be returned to Legislative Council by the close of business, Tuesday, January 28, 2014. Pursuant to Rule 40(c) during the second year of the biennium, except with the prior consent of the Committee on Rules, no committee, except the Committees on Appropriations, Ways and Means or Government Operations, may introduce a bill drafted in standard form after the last day of March (March 31, 2014). The Committees on Appropriations and Ways and Means bill may be drafted in standard form at any time, and Government Operations bills pertaining to city or town charters, may be drafted in standard form at any time.