§ 126-A:88 — State Health Assessment and State Health Improvement Plan Advisory Council Established

New Hampshire § 126-A:88

• Jurisdiction: New Hampshire
• Title X: PUBLIC HEALTH
• Ch. 126-A: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
• Subdivision: State Health Improvement Plan

Text

I. There is hereby established a state health assessment and state health improvement plan advisory council. The council should be diverse with respect to race, ethnicity, geography, ideology, and age, and shall be comprised of the following members:
(a) Two members of the house of representatives, one of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and one of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader.
(b) Two members of the senate, one of whom shall be a member of the minority party, appointed by the senate president.
(c) The commissioner of the department of health and human services, or designee.
(d) The commissioner of the department of education, or designee.
(e) The commissioner of the insurance department, or designee.
(f) The commissioner of the department of safety, or designee.
(g) The commissioner of the department of corrections, or designee.
(h) The attorney general, or designee.
(i) The director of the division of public health services, department of health and human services, or designee.
(j) The chairperson of state commission on aging, or designee.
(k) The director of the Manchester health department, or designee.
(l) A representative from the New Hampshire Public Health Association, appointed by the association.
(m) A representative of the New Hampshire Alliance for Healthy Aging, appointed by the alliance.
(n) A representative of the North Country Health Consortium, appointed by the consortium.
(o) A representative of the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute, appointed by the institute.
(p) Two representatives from housing entities, one appointed by the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority, and one appointed by the New Hampshire Housing Authorities Corporation.
(q) Three representatives of hospitals located in New Hampshire, One from an academic medical center, one from a community hospital which is not a critical access hospital, and one from a critical access hospital, appointed by the New Hampshire Hospital Association.
(r) A representative of a federally qualified community health center, appointed by the Bi-State Primary Care Association.
(s) A psychiatrist or psychologist licensed in New Hampshire, appointed by the commissioner of the department of health and human services.
(t) A physician, appointed by the New Hampshire Medical Society.
(u) An advanced practice nurse practitioner licensed in New Hampshire, appointed by the New Hampshire Nurse Practitioners Association.
(v) A representative of municipal government, appointed by the New Hampshire Municipal Association.
(w) A school superintendent, appointed by the New Hampshire School Administrators Association.
(x) A representative of a peer recovery program, appointed by the commissioner of the department of health and human services.
(y) An environmental health researcher from a New Hampshire college or university, appointed by the commissioner of the department of health and human services.
(z) A representative of a philanthropic organization, appointed by the commissioner of the department of health and human services.
(aa) A substance use disorder treatment provider, appointed by the NH Providers Association.
(bb) A community action program representative, appointed by the New Hampshire Community Action Partnership.
(cc) The director of the Nashua health department, or designee.
(dd) A health officer, appointed by the New Hampshire Health Officers Association.
(ee) The commissioner of the department of business and economic affairs, or designee.
(ff) A representative from Community Support Network, Inc. (CSNI), appointed by CSNI.
(gg) A representative from New Hampshire Community Behavioral Health Association, appointed by association.
(hh) The director of the office of health equity, department of health and human services, or designee.
(ii) The director of the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy, or designee.
II. The council may solicit information and participation from any person or entity determined necessary by the council in the performance of its duties. The council shall be administratively attached to the department.
III. Members of the council appointed under subparagraphs I(a) through (j) shall serve a term coterminous with their term in office. The members appointed pursuant to subparagraphs I(k) through (ii) shall serve 6-year terms provided that initial appointments shall be for staggered terms of one to 6 years. Legislative members shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the council. The first-named senate member shall convene the organizational meeting of the council within 45 days of the effective date of this section for the purpose of electing officers. The chairperson shall be elected upon a majority vote of the council. A majority of the appointed members of the council shall constitute a quorum.
IV. The chairperson may establish subcommittees upon majority vote of the council. Membership of the subcommittees shall be established by the chairperson upon majority vote of the council. If any member of the council is absent without previously being excused by the chairperson for 3 or more regular meetings, the member may be removed upon a majority vote of the council.
V. The council shall be subject to the provision of RSA 91-A. Notwithstanding RSA 91-A:2, IV, or any other law to the contrary, at least one-seventh of the total appointed membership of the council shall be present at the physical location of the meeting. Each member participating electronically or otherwise shall be able to contemporaneously and throughout the meeting see and hear, and be seen and heard by, the other members of the public body attending the meeting and members of the public in attendance at the meeting site. A member participating in a meeting remotely as described in this paragraph is deemed to be present for all purposes, including for determination of a quorum and voting. Each member participating remotely shall identify the persons present in the location from which the member is participating. All votes taken during such a meeting shall be by roll call vote. Members of the public shall be permitted to participate remotely in remotely held council meetings, including testifying or asking questions as the rules and procedures of the council allow.
VI. The commissioner, in collaboration with the council, shall submit an annual report to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the governor, the chairpersons of the house and senate committees having jurisdiction over finance and health and human services, and chairperson of the oversight committee on health and human services, established under RSA 126-A:13, by November 1 of each year, commencing on November 1, 2021, on the council's activities and including the council's recommendations for legislation to include estimated cost and benefit summary based on existing resources.

Legislative History

2020, 39:16, eff. July 29, 2020. 2021, 35:1, eff. May 17, 2021. 2025, 122:1, 2, eff. June 24, 2025.