1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to health; establishing the Minnesota 
  1.3             institute for women's health; appropriating money; 
  1.4             proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, 
  1.5             chapter 145. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [145.91] [MINNESOTA INSTITUTE FOR WOMEN'S 
  1.8   HEALTH.] 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHED.] The commissioner of health 
  1.10  shall establish a Minnesota institute for women's health to 
  1.11  improve the coordination of research and education on women's 
  1.12  health issues, to promote collaboration among women's health 
  1.13  researchers, to disseminate information on women's health, and 
  1.14  to improve the health care system's ability to serve and promote 
  1.15  optimal health of women in the state of Minnesota.  The 
  1.16  institute shall annually report to the legislature on health 
  1.17  issues that are of concern to women.  The institute shall 
  1.18  consist of a 15-member board appointed by the governor.  The 
  1.19  board must have at least one representative from each of the 
  1.20  following: 
  1.21     (1) a medical provider that conducts research relating to 
  1.22  women's health; 
  1.23     (2) a women's health consumer group; 
  1.24     (3) a women's group that represents underserved 
  1.25  populations; 
  2.1      (4) a health plan company; 
  2.2      (5) a rural family practice provider; 
  2.3      (6) an employee of the department of health in the public 
  2.4   health field; and 
  2.5      (7) a medical educator skilled in women's health. 
  2.6      The board must be gender balanced and have members from 
  2.7   each geographic region in the state.  
  2.8      Subd. 2.  [INCORPORATION.] The institute must incorporate 
  2.9   as a not-for-profit organization and is authorized to raise 
  2.10  funds and maintain a bank account to support its operations.  
  2.11  The institute must not become a subsidiary organization of any 
  2.12  other entity.  The institute must be a fully private sector 
  2.13  operation by 1998. 
  2.14     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.15     $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  2.16  commissioner of health for the biennium ending June 30, 1997, 
  2.17  for the purpose of section 1.