SB4- 2nd house committee

SB4 will be heard on Tuesday April 11th in committee. There will not be any testimony. The committee will be amending and voting on the bill.
 
Your calls are imperative.
 
The previous committee claims that this bill protects county autonomy, however there are still many risks with this bill.
 
Tell them:
“SB4 was built with the intent to coerce public health centralization. Tax dollars will be haphazardly spent, without a plan to ensure a wise investment. The Public Health Overhaul is controversial & must go to summer study session. Vote No.“
 
 
Cherry & Thompson 317-232-9651
Barrett, Snow & Slager 317-234-2993
Smaltz & Prescott 317-234-9499
Judy 317-232-9863
Heine 317-232-9648
Baird 317-232-9981
Mayfield 317-232-9620
Clere (317) 232-9769

The committee is pretty big, if you wish to make additional calls please follow up below.

Goodrich 317-234-0931
Heaton 317-234-3827
Jordan 317-232-9651
O'Brien 317-232-9815
Rowray 317-232-9643
Porter 317-232-9875

You may also choose to email the committee. 
h12@iga.in.gov, h44@iga.in.gov, h26@iga.in.gov, h53@iga.in.gov, h72@iga.in.gov, h86@iga.in.gov, h29@iga.in.gov, h2@iga.in.gov, h46@iga.in.gov, h85@iga.in.gov, h17@iga.in.gov, h83@iga.in.gov, h27@iga.in.gov, h60@iga.in.gov, h78@iga.in.gov, h43@iga.in.gov, h33@iga.in.gov, h94@iga.in.gov, H35@iga.in.gov, H96@iga.in.gov, H15@iga.in.gov, H52@iga.in.gov, H22@iga.in.gov, h28@iga.in.gov

Are you curious as to why the bill is so problematic? Review the videos from the public health commission meeting that took place on June 30th.

Here is the short list of issues, below we will go line by line.

1. Doubling the "core public services" for county health departments. --Currently these are not required for all, but only time will tell how quickly these will be required for each county.
2. Creating district/regional public health offices. This is part of centralization and an increase in oversight. Think "big government."
3. State offering guidance to assist with uniform application of public health laws --What does this mean? “Uniform application” watch the June 30, 2022 governor’s public health commission to hear where this idea originated. H4ml.org/gphcshorts video #1 for a short clip
4. No disclosure of frequency of votes to opt-in, or how counties can opt-out.
5. State is establishing metrics instead of local counties. (Centralized decision making.)
6. Potential for significant increase in taxes. County and state level? Goal to increase spending from $55 per person to $91 per person, plus inflation!!
7. School liaison role- coordination with school nurses on wide range of services and “core public health services.” These include communicable disease prevention, access to childhood immunizations, hearing, vision & oral screenings, testing & counseling for HIV, Hep C & Sexually transmitted infections, and behavioral & mental health.
8. No change to funding for counties who don't agree to provide core public health services. If the goal is to improve Hoosier public health why wouldn't there be an option for grants to improve specific areas.
9. Counties may give grants to any individual to carry out core public health measures. This decreases accountability.
10. To receive any funding counties must follow rules adopted by the state department. This contradicts with Pg 9 Line 16- Reports no transfer of authority in operating local health department. The county has the ability to reject emergency directives, what happens if emergency directives become part of permanent rules?
11. “Behavioral incentives” may be used to achieve desired health outcomes… WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? Will our public health offices raffle a car for students who get vaccinated?

See the line by line review here.