House File 781       

                            AN ACT
RELATING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A DIRECT CARE WORKER TASK
   FORCE.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

   Section 1.  DIRECT CARE WORKER TASK FORCE ==
RECOMMENDATIONS == REPORT.
   1.  The Iowa department of public health shall convene a
direct care worker task force to review the education and
training requirements applicable to and to make
recommendations regarding direct care workers.  The Iowa
department of public health shall provide administrative
support for the task force.
   2.  The task force shall consist of twelve members
including representatives of the direct care workforce, health
care providers, consumer and disability advocates, and
individuals involved in the education and training of direct
care workers selected by the governor.
   3.  The task force shall also include the director or the
director's designee of the Iowa department of public health,
the department of human services, the department of elder
affairs, and the department of inspections and appeals, and
members of the general assembly as ex officio, nonvoting
members.
   4.  The legislative members of the task force shall be
appointed by the president of the senate, after consultation
with the majority leader and the minority leader of the
senate, and by the speaker of the house, after consultation
with the majority leader and the minority leader of the house
of representatives.
   5.  The task force shall select a chairperson from its
membership.  A majority of the members of the task force shall
constitute a quorum.
   6.  The direct care worker task force shall do all of the
following:
   a.  Identify the existing direct care worker
classifications.
   b.  Review and outline the corresponding educational and
training requirements for each direct care worker
classification identified.
   c.  Determine the appropriate educational and training
requirements for each direct care worker classification
identified.
   d.  Recommend a process for streamlining the educational
and training system for direct care workers.
   e.  Recommend a process for establishing a direct care
worker registry by expanding the Iowa nurse aide registry to
integrate direct care workers, and consider moving
administration of the registry to the Iowa department of
public health.
   7.  The task force shall submit a report of its
recommendations regarding the issues specified in subsection 6
to the governor and the general assembly no later than
December 15, 2006.


                                                            
                              CHRISTOPHER C. RANTS
                              Speaker of the House


                                                            
                              JOHN P. KIBBIE
                              President of the Senate

   I hereby certify that this bill originated in the House and
is known as House File 781, Eighty=first General Assembly.


                                                            
                              MARGARET THOMSON
                              Chief Clerk of the House
Approved                , 2005


                           
THOMAS J. VILSACK
Governor