(a)There is established a Council on Protecting Women's Health that shall advise the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health and insurance on strategies and any necessary legislative changes to ensure that the actions of the federal government do not impede the provision of health care to women in the state. The council shall monitor legislation at the federal level and any litigation relating to women's health and wellness that has the potential to negatively impact women's health in the state and immediately report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to such joint standing committees on strategies, including, but not limited to, the initiation of legislation to protect women's health in the state.
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(a) There is established a Council on Protecting Women's Health that shall advise the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health and insurance on strategies and any necessary legislative changes to ensure that the actions of the federal government do not impede the provision of health care to women in the state. The council shall monitor legislation at the federal level and any litigation relating to women's health and wellness that has the potential to negatively impact women's health in the state and immediately report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to such joint standing committees on strategies, including, but not limited to, the initiation of legislation to protect women's health in the state. (b) The Council on Protecting Women's Health shall be comprised of (1) the following ex-officio voting members: (A) The Commissioner of Public Health, or the commissioner's designee; (B) the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, or the commissioner's designee; (C) the Insurance Commissioner, or the commissioner's designee; (D) the Commissioner of Health Strategy, or the commissioner's designee; (E) the Healthcare Advocate, or the Healthcare Advocate's designee; and (F) the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or the secretary's designee; and (2) fourteen public members, three of whom shall be appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, three of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, two of whom shall be appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, two of whom shall be appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, two of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader of the Senate and two of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, and all of whom shall be knowledgeable on issues relative to women's health care in the state. The membership of the council shall fairly and adequately represent women who have had issues accessing quality health care in the state. (c) All appointments to the council shall be made not later than sixty days after July 1, 2019. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. Members shall serve two-year terms and no public member shall serve for more than two consecutive terms. (d) The council shall elect two cochairpersons from among its members. The council shall meet at least quarterly. Members of the council shall serve without compensation, except for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. (e) The Joint Committee on Legislative Management shall provide administrative support to the chairpersons of the council and assistance in convening the council's meetings. (f) Not later than January 1, 2020, and annually thereafter, the council shall submit a status report on protecting women's health care in the state, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a , to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health and insurance.