Chapter 126-T: Commission on the Interdisciplinary Primary Care Workforce Issues

There is hereby established a commission on the interdisciplinary primary care workforce. The members of the commission shall be as follows:

I. One member of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

II. The commissioner of the department of health and human services, or designee.

III. The commissioner of the department of labor, or designee.

IV. The insurance commissioner, or designee.

V. The dean, or designee, from a public institution with a health science school, appointed by the president of the institution.

VI. The dean, or designee, from a private institution with a health science school, appointed by the president of the institution.

VII. A representative of the New Hampshire Medical Society, appointed by the society.

VIII. A representative of the New Hampshire Dental Society, appointed by the society.

IX. A representative of the New Hampshire Mental Health Coalition, appointed by the coalition.

X. Three representatives from the state's rural and underserved health care facilities, including 2 practitioners and one administrator, appointed by the governor.

XI. A representative of the New Hampshire Citizens Health Initiative, appointed by such organization.

XII. A representative of the New Hampshire Area Health Education Center, appointed by the organization.

XIII. A representative of the Bi-State Primary Care Association, appointed by the association.

XIV. Three at large members, nominated by the commission and appointed by the governor.

XV. A representative of the New Hampshire Nurse Practitioner Association, appointed by the association.

XVI. A representative of the New Hampshire Society of Physician Assistants Association, appointed by the association.

XVII. A representative of the New Hampshire Hospital Association, appointed by the association.

XVIII. A pharmacist, appointed by the board of pharmacy.

XIX. A nurse with experience in primary care, appointed by the New Hampshire Nurses Association.

XX. A representative of the substance use disorder treatment community, appointed by the New Hampshire Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors Association.

XXI. A direct primary care provider appointed by Direct Primary Care Frontier.

The members of the commission shall receive no compensation and shall not be entitled to reimbursement for expenses, but the legislative member of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission. The members of the commission shall choose a chairperson and vice-chairperson from among the members.

The commission shall plan and advocate for policy changes related to maintaining and strengthening an effective primary care workforce in New Hampshire, with special concern for rural and other underserved areas. The committee's duties shall include, but not be limited to:

I. Reviewing the impact of existing policies related to strengthening New Hampshire's primary care workforce and making recommendations relative to appropriate use of funds for workforce retention, training, education, and recruitment.

II. Collecting and reviewing data and information that informs decisions and planning for the primary care workforce and looking for innovative ways for expanding New Hampshire's primary care resources including, but not limited to, interstate collaboration and the use of telehealth.

III. Assembling and disseminating in its reports, as required under RSA 126-T:4, data related to availability, accessibility, and effectiveness of primary care in New Hampshire, with special attention to such data in rural and underserved areas of the state in order to inform state policy and planning.

IV. Exploring and developing strategies to further the integration of primary care, oral health, and behavioral health.

Notwithstanding RSA 91-A:2, IV, or any other law to the contrary, at least one-seventh of the total appointed membership of the commission shall be present at the physical location of the meeting. Each member participating electronically or otherwise shall be able to contemporaneously and throughout the meeting see and hear, and be seen and heard by, the other members of the public body attending the meeting and members of the public in attendance at the meeting site. A member participating in a meeting remotely as described in this paragraph is deemed to be present for all purposes, including for determination of a quorum and voting. Each member participating remotely shall identify the persons present in the location from which the member is participating. All votes taken during such a meeting shall be by roll call vote. Members of the public shall be permitted to participate remotely in remotely held commission meetings, including testifying or asking questions as the rules and procedures of the commission allow. A majority of the appointed members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.

The commission shall make an interim report on November 1, 2026, which shall focus on the status of the New Hampshire state loan repayment program and the New Hampshire division of public health service's health professions survey, and a final report on November 1, 2029, including its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation, to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the governor, the oversight committee on health and human services, and the chairpersons of the senate and house executive departments and administration committees.

The commission may accept any gifts, donations, or grants from any source whatsoever provided such gifts, donations, or grants shall be used exclusively in the furtherance of the duties of the commission.