FIRST REGULAR SESSION
93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES BAKER (25) (Sponsor), LAMPE, KRATKY, LOW (39), SKAGGS, WILDBERGER, ZWEIFEL, SATER, SCHAAF, THRELKELD, PAGE, SCHOEMEHL, WALTON, OXFORD, WRIGHT-JONES, BLAND, COOPER (155) AND SHOEMYER (Co-sponsors).
Read 1st time March 17, 2005 and copies ordered printed.
STEPHEN S. DAVIS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To amend chapter 26, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to the Missouri surgeon general.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 26, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 26.350, to read as follows:
26.350. 1. There is hereby established within the governor's office the "Office of the Missouri Surgeon General". The office shall be administered by the Missouri surgeon general, who shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate, and shall be a physician of good standing in the community who is licensed under chapter 334, RSMo, with a masters degree in public health or a masters degree in health management training, or commensurate experience in public policy.
2. The duties of the Missouri surgeon general shall include but not be limited to the following:
(1) Serving as an ex officio member of the state board of health;
(2) Reporting on, developing strategies to improve, and offering advice on the allocation of resources for the following health indicators:
(a) Tobacco use;
(b) Incidence of obesity;
(c) Health disparities;
(d) Hypertension;
(e) Nutrition;
(f) Immunizations;
(g) Disease and injury prevalence;
(h) Substance abuse prevalence;
(i) Workplace injuries; and
(j) Disability prevention;
(3) Providing health information through public appearances at Missouri schools, places of employment, and other private and public institutions and organizations upon request;
(4) Organization and attendance at health promotion events;
(5) Providing advice and recommendations on health professional shortages;
(6) Providing advice and recommendations to health-related councils and organizations;
(7) Creation of an Internet web site to promote healthy lifestyles for Missourians;
(8) Establishment of educational programs, including but not limited to working with health research institutions in the state, including the Center for Health Policy, the Missouri foundation for health and the department of health and senior services, and making research findings available to the public;
(9) Public health promotion, health literacy, health promotion, and prevention of disease efforts;
(10) Information management, including advising public policy makers on the coordination of medical and health-related information management, and the use of studies to educate the citizens of this state on ways to become healthier;
(11) Providing citizens of this state with tools to improve their personal health, including but not limited to reducing risk factors that threaten the health of Missourians;
(12) Assisting employers in creating healthy lifestyle promotion programs in the workplace; and
(13) An examination of Missouri's participation in Health People 2010.
3. The Missouri surgeon general shall hold office for a term of four years.
4. The Missouri surgeon general shall act independently of the department of health and senior services, the department of social services, and the department of mental health in the performance of his or her duties. The office of administration shall provide administrative support and staff as deemed necessary.
5. The Missouri surgeon general shall submit an annual report to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president pro tempore of the senate and the governor before January thirty-first of each year. The surgeon general's report shall include information on the current overall health of the citizens of Missouri and any recommendations for improvements.