Vermont S. 188: An act relating to commercial feed and agricultural fertilizer

Bill Text

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VT LEG #386107 v.1
S.188 1
Introduced by Senator Lyons 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Health; hospitals; Green Mountain Care Board; executive 5
compensation 6
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require each 7
hospital’s board of directors to include at least two representatives of the 8
public. It would also require hospitals to provide information to the Green 9
Mountain Care Board when they adjust the compensation for their executives. 10
An act relating to hospital governance 11
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 12
Sec. 1. 18 V.S.A. § 1905a is added to read: 13
§ 1905a. HOSPITAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS; REPRESENTATIVES OF 14
THE PUBLIC; COMPENSATION COMMITTEE 15
(a) Public members. 16
(1) Two voting members of a hospital’s board of directors, but in no 17
event less than one-sixth of the board of directors, shall be representatives of 18
the public appointed by the Governor. Unless otherwise specified, a 19

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representative of the public shall have the same rights and responsibilities as 1
any other member of the hospital board. 2
(2) The Governor may appoint as a representative of the public any 3
member of the public, including a health care professional. 4
(3) The initial term of one representative of the public shall be two years 5
and the initial term of the other representative of the public shall be three years. 6
If there are more than two representatives of the public, their initial terms shall 7
be divided as equally as possible between the two initial term lengths. 8
Thereafter, each representative of the public appointed by the Governor to 9
succeed a representative of the public shall serve a three-year term and shall 10
serve until a successor is appointed. 11
(4) A representative of the public shall be terminated only by the 12
appointing authority, by conclusion of the appointed term, or by voluntary 13
resignation. 14
(5) If a vacancy occurs prior to the conclusion of the three-year term, 15
whether by termination, resignation, or otherwise, the Governor shall appoint a 16
new representative of the public to complete the term. 17
(b) Committees. 18
(1) The board of directors may create one or more committees and may 19
appoint members of the board, including the representatives of the public, to 20
serve on them. 21

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(2) The board shall create a compensation committee to review and 1
recommend to the full board for approval all compensation packages offered to 2
the hospital’s officers and executives. 3
(A) The compensation committee shall be composed of two or more 4
members, who shall serve at the pleasure of the board of directors. 5
(B) At least two representatives of the public shall be voting 6
members of the compensation committee. 7
(c) Guiding principles for representatives of the public. In discharging the 8
duties of a director, including as a member of a committee, each representative 9
of the public: 10
(1) shall, in determining what the representative of the public reasonably 11
believes to be in the best interests of the hospital, consider the effects of any 12
action or inaction on: 13
(A) patients of the hospital; 14
(B) employees of the hospital; and 15
(C) the community and societal considerations of the State of 16
Vermont, including the principles for health care reform expressed in section 17
9371 of this title; 18
(2) may consider any other relevant factors and the interests of any other 19
group that the representative of the public determines are appropriate to 20
consider; and 21

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(3) shall not be required to give priority to the interests of any particular 1
person or group described in subdivision (1) or (2) of this subsection over the 2
interests of any other person or group. 3
(d) No violation of Title 11B. The consideration of interests and factors in 4
the manner described in subsection (c) of this section shall not constitute a 5
violation of Title 11B. 6
(e) Limitations on liability. 7
(1) A representative of the public is not liable for the failure of the 8
hospital to create general or specific impacts on the community or the health 9
care system. 10
(2) A representative of the public is not liable to the hospital for any 11
action or failure to take action in the representative’s official capacity if the 12
representative of the public performed the duties of the office in compliance 13
with Title 11B and this section. In the event of a conflict between Title 11B 14
and this section, this section shall control. 15
Sec. 2. 18 V.S.A. § 9455 is added to read: 16
§ 9455. COMPENSATION OF HOSPITAL EXECUTIVES 17
(a) As used in this section: 18
(1) “Compensation” means total cash compensation, including base 19
salary and annual incentive compensation. 20

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