2013 -- S 1054

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LC02976

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THAT THE GOVERNOR INCLUDE ALTERNATIVE

METHODOLOGY TO FINANCE THE CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATION ACCOUNT, THE

ADULT IMMUNIZATION ACCOUNT, AND THE CHILD HEALTH ACCOUNT IN THE

FY2015 BUDGET

     

     

     Introduced By: Senator Walter S. Felag

     Date Introduced: July 03, 2013

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

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     WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Office of Immunization reports immunization coverage

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rates of 90 percent to protect against vaccine preventable diseases in children under 2 years of age

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and in children who entered kindergarten in 2012; and

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     WHEREAS, The children’s health account and the immunization programs for adults and

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children are funded through legislation directing insurers to assess an annual fee and a tax on

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fully insured lives; and

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     WHEREAS, Self-funded health insurance plans and out-of-state employers do not pay

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into these accounts, yet their employees benefit from the services listed above; and

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     WHEREAS, Over the past seven years, the number of fully insured Rhode Islanders has

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decreased by almost 23 percent, while the number of self-insured lives has increased by 13

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percent during that same time period; and

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     WHEREAS, The increasing costs of these programs are being shouldered by a smaller

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tax base as the number of commercially insured businesses in Rhode Island decreases; now,

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therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island and Providence

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Plantations respectfully requests that the governor include in the state budget for state fiscal year

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2015 a new, broad-based, and sustainable methodology to finance the programs and accounts

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pursuant to Rhode Island General Law subsections 42-12-29(a), 23-1-45(a), and 23-1-45(c) to

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finance child and adult immunizations and the child health account; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the governor.

     

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LC02976

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S1054