HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 66

(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kiss, and Delegates Perdue, Leach, Proudfoot, Barker, Iaquinta, Miley and R. Thompson,Amores, Anderson, Argento, Ashley, Azinger, Beach, Beane, Blair, Boggs, Border, Brown, Browning, Butcher, Campbell, Cann, Canterbury, Caputo, Carmichael, Craig, Crosier, DeLong, Doyle, Duke, Eldridge, Ellem, Ennis, Evans, Fragale, Frederick, Frich, Hall, Hamilton, Hartman, Hatfield, Houston, Howard, Hrutkay, Hunt, Kominar, Leggett, Long, Longstreth, Louisos, Mahan, Manchin, Marshall, Martin, Michael, Moore, Morgan, Palumbo, Paxton, Perry, Pethtel, Pino, Poling, Porter, Roberts, Romine, Rowan, Schadler, Schoen, Spencer, Stalnaker, Staton, Stemple, Stephens, Stevens, Sumner, Susman, Swartzmiller, Tabb, Talbott, Tansill, Ron Thompson, Trump, Tucker, Varner, Wakim, Webster, Wells, Gil White, H. K. White, Williams, Wysong and Yost)



Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study the increasing role sanitarians play in protecting public health; the emerging shortage of qualified sanitarians to meet the needs of West Virginia; and strategies to develop, train and retain sanitarians.

Whereas, The role of sanitarians in protecting the public health on a statewide and local level has increased dramatically over the past several years with increased needs in the areas of disease control, environmental health and threat preparedness; and
Whereas, Over the next five years over thirty percent of West Virginia's current sanitarians will be eligible to retire; and
Whereas, Insufficient numbers of new sanitarians are being educated and trained to meet the public health needs; and
Whereas, The resources of state and local health departments are inadequate to compete with compensation levels of surrounding states; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby requested to study the projected future need for sanitarians in state and local health departments and strategies to promote and develop the profession to sufficient levels to meet that need through efforts to recruit, educate, train and compensate sanitarians in order to protect the health of the citizens of the State of West Virginia; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2006, on its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.