Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas
2 94th General Assembly A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2023 HOUSE BILL 1622
4
5 By: Representative A. Collins
6 By: Senator J. Boyd
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO CREATE THE HEART ATTACK TASK FORCE; TO
10 PROVIDE FOR THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE HEART ATTACK
11 TASK FORCE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
12
13
14 Subtitle
15 TO CREATE THE HEART ATTACK TASK FORCE;
16 AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE POWERS AND DUTIES
17 OF THE HEART ATTACK TASK FORCE.
18
19
20 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
21
22 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 20, Chapter 8, is amended to add an
23 additional subchapter to read as follows:
24 Subchapter 12 — Heart Attack Task Force
25
26 20-8-1201. Legislative findings.
27 The General Assembly finds that:
28 (1) Heart diseases are the leading cause of death in the United
29 States;
30 (2) The heart attack morality rate in Arkansas is among the
31 highest in the nation; and
32 (3) Recommendations developed by experts working together can
33 assist the State Board of Health in developing standards and policies to
34 reduce the human and financial costs of heart attacks in Arkansas.
35
36 20-8-1202. Heart Attack Task Force — Creation — Membership.
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1 (a)(1) There is created a Heart Attack Task Force to consist of
2 fourteen (14) members to include members from all national organizations in
3 this area of concern.
4 (2)(A) All national organizations shall have local chapters.
5 (B) If an organization no longer has a local chapter, the
6 total number of members may be reduced to reflect that the organization has
7 no local chapter in this state and no member may be appointed to represent
8 the organization.
9 (b) The Secretary of the Department of Health shall appoint:
10 (1) One (1) member to represent the Department of Health;
11 (2) One (1) member to represent the American Heart Association
12 and the American Stroke Association;
13 (3) One (1) member to represent the Arkansas Minority Health
14 Commission;
15 (4) One (1) member to represent the Arkansas Hospital
16 Association, Inc.;
17 (5) One (1) member to represent the Arkansas Foundation for
18 Medical Care, Inc.;
19 (6) One (1) member to represent the College of Public health of
20 the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences;
21 (7) One (1) member to represent the American College of
22 Cardiology;
23 (8) One (1) member to represent emergency medical services;
24 (9) One (1) member to represent the Arkansas Medical Society,
25 Inc.;
26 (10) One (1) member to represent the medical insurance industry;
27 (11) One (1) member to represent the community at large;
28 (12) One (1) member to represent the Arkansas Pharmacists
29 Association;
30 (13) One (1) member to represent the American College of
31 Emergency Physicians; and
32 (14) One (1) member to represent the Arkansas Nurses
33 Association.
34 (c)(1) Except for the initial members, members shall serve three-year
35 terms.
36 (2) The initial members shall be assigned by lot so as to
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1 stagger terms to equalize as nearly as possible the number of members to be
2 appointed each year.
3 (d) If a vacancy occurs, the secretary shall appoint a person who
4 represents the same constituency as the member being replaced.
5 (e) The task force shall elect one (1) of its members to act as chair
6 for a term of one (1) year.
7 (f) A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum for the
8 transaction of business.
9 (g) The task force shall meet as necessary to further the intent and
10 purpose of this subchapter.
11
12 20-8-1203. Powers and duties.
13 The Heart Attack Task Force shall:
14 (1) Make recommendations to the State Board of Health consistent
15 with the intent and purpose of this subchapter;
16 (2) Pursue both public and private funding to further the intent
17 of this subchapter; and
18 (3) Develop standards and policy recommendations including
19 without limitation the following:
20 (A) Methods for raising public awareness of the prevalence
21 and treatment considerations for heart attacks;
22 (B) The professional development of emergency medical
23 services professionals to identify victims of heart attacks;
24 (C) The professional development of emergency room and
25 hospital personnel to identify and treat victims of potential heart attacks;
26 (D) Methods for encouraging the use of accepted or
27 emerging treatments, when appropriate;
28 (E) Methods for ensuring that a comprehensive range of
29 heart attack recovery services are available to Arkansans recovering physical
30 and mental functions affected by a heart attack;
31 (F) Methods for developing heart attack treatment centers;
32 and
33 (G) Methods for developing and implementing a state heart
34 attack registry.
35
36
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