The bill, identified as Substitute Senate Bill No. 176 with File No. 16, mandates the Commissioner of Public Health to develop a plan for establishing a hospice and palliative care program specifically for children in the state. This plan must be developed by January 1, 2025, and should consider the expansion of existing programs that already provide such care to children. Additionally, the Commissioner is required to report the plan and the anticipated timeframe for its implementation to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly that oversees public health matters. The bill includes a new section that becomes effective upon passage.

The fiscal impact of the bill is outlined in the Office of Fiscal Analysis (OFA) note, which indicates that the Department of Public Health (DPH) will incur an estimated one-time cost of $100,000 in the fiscal year 2025. This cost is associated with the need for approximately 550 hours of work by a healthcare business consultant to develop the plan. There is no anticipated fiscal impact beyond the fiscal year 2025, and no municipal impact is expected. The bill received a Joint Favorable Substitute recommendation from the Public Health Committee with a unanimous vote of 37 in favor and none against on March 4, 2024.