1993 Legislative Session: 2nd Session, 35th Parliament
FIRST READING


The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.
The printed version remains the official version.


MR. RICHARD NEUFELD

BILL M 218

RURAL HEALTH TRANSPORTATION ACT

HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

Travelcare Fund established

1 There is hereby established the Travelcare Fund, for the purpose of assisting patient and family travel and associated expenses, where travel is undertaken from northern and other rural communities for the purpose of obtaining emergency and specialist medical care not available in the patient's community.

Administration of the fund

2 (1) Subject to the provisions of Section 3 of this Act, the Travelcare Fund shall be administered by a Board of Directors, appointed by the Select Standing Committee of the Legislative Assembly on Health, Education, Social Services, Housing and Women's Issues.

(2) The Board of Directors shall consist of 5 members, each appointed for a three year term, at least 3 of whom shall reside north of the 52nd parallel of latitude.

Lieutenant Governor in Council to make regulations

3 The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations with respect to:

(1) The administration of the fund,

(2) The categories of persons who may be entitled to apply to the fund, geographically, and in their relationship to a patient,

(3) The extent and kinds of expenses which may be claimed,

(4) Priorities which the Board may be required to apply in allocating payments from the fund,

(5) The remuneration, if any, of directors of the fund, and the reasonable expenses for which they may be reimbursed, and,

(6) The provision for, and extent of, income tax deductibility for donations to the fund, either by individuals, corporations, or other bodies.

Powers of the fund

4 (1) The Travelcare Fund shall have all of the powers of a natural person of full age and capacity.

(2) Without limiting the generality of subsection (1), the Travelcare Fund may enter into agreements with any airline or other transportation or hospitality firm or enterprise for the purpose of facilitating the operations or furthering the objects of the fund, or otherwise reducing the transportation and related expenses of northern and rural residents in obtaining health care for themselves, their dependents, family members, and other such residents who they are assisting to obtain health care.

Assignment of benefits

5 (1) Any person entitled to a travel point, bonus, discount, or other valuable advantage or consideration with respect to transportation or accomodation may at any time assign the same to the fund, and,

(2) No person so doing in good faith, shall, on that account, at any time be deemed to be in violation of any statute, or code of conduct, or to be in a real or perceived conflict of interest with their duties to a public or private employer.

 
Explanatory Note

This Bill creates a fund to help defray the cost of transportation of northern and rural residents to medical facilities, through the collection and donation of travel bonus points by elected representatives and public sector employees, including municipal, school district, Crown Corporation and hospital board employees. It also enables the fund to accept other donations from any source. A majority of those administering the fund will be residents of Northern British Columbia.


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