Download Zipped Introduced WordPerfect HB0212.ZIP
[Status][Bill Documents][Fiscal Note][Bills Directory]

H.B. 212

             1     

DISEASE TESTING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS

             2     
AMENDMENTS

             3     
2013 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Derek E. Brown

             6     
Senate Sponsor: Jerry W. Stevenson

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This bill amends disease testing procedures for a prisoner who comes in contact with an
             11      emergency services provider or volunteer.
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This bill:
             14          .    defines terms;
             15          .    permits blood testing under certain circumstances with a court order;
             16          .    allows for the use of reasonable force to draw blood from a prisoner if ordered by
             17      the court; and
             18          .    makes technical changes.
             19      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             20          None
             21      Other Special Clauses:
             22          None
             23      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             24      AMENDS:
             25          78B-8-401, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 3
             26          78B-8-402, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 3
             27          78B-8-404, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 3


             28     
             29      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             30          Section 1. Section 78B-8-401 is amended to read:
             31           78B-8-401. Definitions.
             32          For purposes of this chapter:
             33          (1) "Blood or contaminated body fluids" includes blood, saliva, amniotic fluid,
             34      pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid, pleural fluid, synovial fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, semen, and
             35      vaginal secretions, and any body fluid visibly contaminated with blood.
             36          (2) "Disease" means Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection, acute or chronic
             37      Hepatitis B infection, Hepatitis C infection, and any other infectious disease specifically
             38      designated by the Labor Commission in consultation with the Department of Health for the
             39      purposes of this chapter.
             40          (3) "Emergency [medical] services provider" means:
             41          (a) an individual certified under Section 26-8a-302 , a public safety officer, local fire
             42      department personnel, or personnel employed by the Department of Corrections or by a county
             43      jail, who provide prehospital emergency [medical] care for an emergency [medical] services
             44      provider either as an employee or as a volunteer[.]; or
             45          (b) an individual who provides for the care, control, support, or transport of a prisoner.
             46          (4) "First aid volunteer" means a person who provides voluntary emergency assistance
             47      or first aid medical care to an injured person prior to the arrival of an emergency medical
             48      services provider or public safety officer.
             49          (5) "Prisoner" is as defined in Section 76-5-101 .
             50          [(5)] (6) "Public safety officer" means a peace officer as defined in Title 53, Chapter
             51      13, Peace Officer Classifications.
             52          [(6)] (7) "Significant exposure" and "significantly exposed" mean:
             53          (a) exposure of the body of one person to the blood or body fluids of another person
             54      by:
             55          (i) percutaneous injury, including a needle stick [or], cut with a sharp object or
             56      instrument, or a wound resulting from a human bite, scratch, or similar force; or
             57          (ii) contact with an open wound, mucous membrane, or nonintact skin because of a cut,
             58      abrasion, dermatitis, or other damage; or


             59          (b) exposure that occurs by any other method of transmission defined by the
             60      Department of Health as a significant exposure.
             61          Section 2. Section 78B-8-402 is amended to read:
             62           78B-8-402. Petition -- Disease testing -- Notice -- Payment for testing.
             63          (1) An emergency [medical] services provider[,] or first aid volunteer who is
             64      significantly exposed during the course of performing the emergency [medical] services
             65      provider's duties or during the course of performing emergency assistance or first aid may:
             66          (a) request that the person to whom [he] the emergency services provider or first aid
             67      volunteer was significantly exposed voluntarily submit to testing; or
             68          (b) petition the district court for an order requiring that the person to whom [he] the
             69      emergency services provider or first aid volunteer was significantly exposed submit to testing
             70      to determine the presence of a disease, as defined in Section 78B-8-401 , and that the results of
             71      that test be disclosed to the petitioner by the Department of Health.
             72          (2) (a) The petitioner shall file a petition with the district court seeking an order to
             73      submit to testing and to disclose the results in accordance with the provisions of this section.
             74          (b) The petition shall be sealed upon filing and made accessible only to the petitioner,
             75      the subject of the petition, and their attorneys, upon court order.
             76          (3) (a) The petition described in Subsection (2) shall be accompanied by an affidavit in
             77      which the [emergency medical services provider or first aid volunteer] petitioner certifies that
             78      [he] the petitioner has been significantly exposed to the individual who is the subject of the
             79      petition and describes that exposure.
             80          (b) The petitioner shall submit to testing to determine the presence of a disease, when
             81      the petition is filed or within three days after the petition is filed.
             82          (4) The petitioner shall cause the petition required under this section to be served on
             83      the person who the petitioner is requesting to be tested in a manner that will best preserve the
             84      confidentiality of that person.
             85          (5) (a) The court shall set a time for a hearing on the matter within 10 days after the
             86      petition is filed and shall give the petitioner and the individual who is the subject of the petition
             87      notice of the hearing at least 72 hours prior to the hearing.
             88          (b) The individual who is the subject of the petition shall also be notified that [he] the
             89      individual may have an attorney present at the hearing[,] and that [his] the individual's attorney


             90      may examine and cross-examine witnesses.
             91          (c) The hearing shall be conducted in camera.
             92          (6) The district court may enter an order requiring that an individual submit to testing,
             93      including blood testing, for a disease if the court finds probable cause to believe:
             94          (a) the petitioner was significantly exposed; and
             95          (b) the exposure occurred during the course of the emergency [medical] services
             96      provider's duties, or the provision of emergency assistance or first aid by a first aid volunteer.
             97          (7) The court may order that the blood specimen be obtained by the use of reasonable
             98      force if the individual who is the subject of the petition is a prisoner.
             99          [(7)] (8) The court may order that additional, follow-up testing be conducted[,] and that
             100      the individual submit to that testing, as it determines to be necessary and appropriate.
             101          [(8)] (9) The court is not required to order an individual to submit to a test under this
             102      section if it finds that there is a substantial reason, relating to the life or health of the
             103      individual, not to enter the order.
             104          [(9)] (10) (a) Upon order of the district court that a person submit to testing for a
             105      disease, that person shall report to the designated local health department to have [his] the
             106      person's blood drawn within 10 days from the issuance of the order, and thereafter as
             107      designated by the court, or be held in contempt of court.
             108          (b) The court shall send the order to the Department of Health and to the local health
             109      department ordered to draw the blood.
             110          (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 26-6-27 , the Department of Health and a
             111      local health department may disclose the test results pursuant to a court order as provided in
             112      this section.
             113          (d) Under this section, anonymous testing as provided under Section 26-6-3.5 shall not
             114      satisfy the requirements of the court order.
             115          [(10)] (11) The local health department or the Department of Health shall inform the
             116      subject of the petition and the petitioner of the results of the test and advise both parties that the
             117      test results are confidential. That information shall be maintained as confidential by all parties
             118      to the action.
             119          [(11)] (12) The court, its personnel, the process server, the Department of Health, local
             120      health department, and petitioner shall maintain confidentiality of the name and any other


             121      identifying information regarding the individual tested and the results of the test as they relate
             122      to that individual, except as specifically authorized by this chapter.
             123          [(12)] (13) (a) Except as provided in Subsection [(12)] (13)(b), the petitioner shall
             124      remit payment for the drawing of the blood specimen and the analysis of the specimen for the
             125      mandatory disease testing to the entity that draws the blood.
             126          (b) If the petitioner is an emergency [medical] services provider, the agency [which]
             127      that employs the emergency [medical] services provider shall remit payment for the drawing of
             128      the blood specimen and the analysis of the specimen for the mandatory disease testing to the
             129      entity that draws the blood.
             130          [(13)] (14) The entity that draws the blood shall cause the blood and the payment for
             131      the analysis of the specimen to be delivered to the Department of Health for analysis.
             132          [(14)] (15) If the individual is incarcerated, the incarcerating authority shall either draw
             133      the blood specimen or shall pay the expenses of having the individual's blood drawn.
             134          (16) The results of testing performed under this section are not admissible in any civil
             135      or criminal proceeding.
             136          Section 3. Section 78B-8-404 is amended to read:
             137           78B-8-404. Department authority -- Rules.
             138          The Labor Commission, in consultation with the Department of Health, has authority to
             139      establish rules necessary for the purposes of Subsections 78B-8-401 (2) and [(6)] (7).




Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-21-13 5:33 PM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


[Bill Documents][Bills Directory]