Legislature - Teresa K. Henry (D) for SD 48 / Rep. Teresa K. Henry (D) HD96

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Constituent Report: 2009 Legislature

Montana House of Representatives

Representative Teresa K. Henry
House District 96

The 2009 legislative session was a challenging but ultimately a productive session. Budget priorities were influenced by decreasing revenue estimates and by increasing needs for services and programs that support economic recovery. The 50/50 split between Democrats and Republicans in the House and the Democrat minority in the Senate significantly influenced the debate. We accomplished what we set out to do - provide greater economic security and jobs through careful managing of the federal stimulus package and state programs, honor the citizen's initiative to provide healthcare to most of Montana's children and support education. We left a "rainy day fund" (ending fund balance) of greater than $250 million and relative structural balance in the budget.

I am honored to be completing my third term in the MT House representing House District 96. I am now running for the Senate District 48 seat in 2010. Senate District 48 includes my current constituents in HD96 and those of you who live in adjoining HD95. Serving in the Senate will allow me to continue to represent the districts' issues and to apply my understanding of the current fiscal and political issues before the state.

As a "seasoned" legislator I filled a leadership position to move forward the work of the session. I was Chair of the Joint Appropriations Subcommittee for Health and Human Services and served as a member of the full Appropriations Committee. As Chair my responsibilities included holding hearings for the consideration of the proposed Health and Human Services section of the state budget. These hearings provided opportunity for me to hear presentations from the Department of Health and Human Services, to ask questions of the Office of Budget and Program Planning and to receive input, feedback and requests from the public on state spending proposals. Each division budget was considered systematically and input was sought from both consumers of services and providers of care. It was my responsibility to present the Executive Actions taken by the subcommittee to the full Appropriations committee. I moved the Health and Human Services section of House Bill 2 on the House Floor for consideration. The work was demanding but very heartening as I had opportunity to advocate for the constituents and programs that drive my interest in serving in the Legislature.

Some particular successes I am proud of: mental health bills to address crisis intervention and humane transport of people to the State Hospital, funding for suicide prevention, autism services, increased number of home and community based service slots, Medicaid buy-in for workers with disabilities, funding for Travelers' Rest State Park and Radio Reading Services for the Blind. Some successes were measured by the defeat of bad bills.

Some of the issues that need work next session: Balancing the need to keep college tuition affordable for Montana families with the need for new technology and expanded facilities; preparing for the "silver tsunami" described by aging services as when the need for services outweighs Montana's ability to respond to the need; and keeping Montanans healthy.

I sponsored 8 bills this session, two passed and were signed into law the others were tabled in committee or missed bill deadlines and so were not heard on the House floor. Tabled in committee means that a motion was made to move the bill forward but the motion failed to receive a majority of votes. Missing the deadline means the bill did not have the support to be moved forward in the committee. Each bill has to be voted on in the House to move to the Senate so the 6 bills that were not heard are dead.

These bills passed: HB 114 Clarify licensure and liability in public health emergencies and HB 362 Limit liability for practice of disaster medicine. The bills were proposed in response to identified licensing and liability issues for licensed professions in the event of a declared disaster situation. I received state wide input in the development of these bills. HB 362 specifically was introduced based on a community effort to develop a response to a disaster situation involving acute care and public health care providers. This bill was a terrific example of community involvement in every step of the process.

These bills did not pass: HJ 003 Interim study of managed care mental health system tabled in Committee and HB 111 Clarify roles of local advisory groups in mental health system missed deadline for General Bill Transmittal. These two bills were part of the package of bills proposed by the 2007-2008 Interim Committee on Children, Families, Health and Human Services. House and Senate members of the committee sponsored bills authorized by the Interim committee. Some of the issues raised in the bills were addressed in other bills or requests of the department and the proposals from the study will be revisited by the current Interim committee.

HB 267 Prescription drug database and monitoring program missed deadline for General Bill Transmittal. This bill was initiated in response to discussions between the Board of Pharmacy, the Pain and Symptom Management Task Force and the Attorney General's Office. The goal was to balance the need to decrease access to prescription drugs of abuse while limiting a "chilling effect" on appropriate pain management using opiate medications. Efforts to address the concerns raised in committee hearings are being made prior to possible reintroduction of this bill next session. This bill is of particular interest to me as a nurse because I am aware of both public health problems of untreated chronic pain as well as drug abuse and addiction. HB 292 Expedited partner care for STD missed deadline for General Bill Transmittal. HB 596 Healthy youth sex education missed deadline for General Bill Transmittal. HB 309 Public health nursing service for foster children missed deadline for Appropriation Bill Transmittal. These three bills were requested by advocacy/constituent groups to support prevention programs for public health issues. Expedited partner therapy and sex education were both controversial bills that received considerable discussion. The service for foster children is an effective program for at-risk and vulnerable children. The attached fiscal note was the deterrent to this bill's passage. I will continue to advocate for prevention and public health programs.

Additionally, I was cosigner on 29 bills, 8 of which were signed into law. I worked to insure that funding for Travelers' Rest State Park (HB167) and Radio Reading Service for the Blind (HB265) was included in the bill which implemented federal stimulus and recovery funds (HB645) when these bills failed to pass and were not funded in the general budget.

All together this was an intense and successful session. I worked with the Governor and his staff in the budget process and am proud that Montana is one of the few states without a budget deficit. Please contact me if you would like more information on any particular topic. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to serve. I look forward to hearing from you. Please visit my website, email, or call me.

Representative Teresa K. Henry