PRINTER'S NO. 3079
No. 2159 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY DeWEESE, GERBER, SHAPIRO, ROSS, BEBKO-JONES, BELFANTI, BISHOP, BLACKWELL, BUNT, BUXTON, CALTAGIRONE, COHEN, CORNELL, CURRY, DERMODY, FRANKEL, GEIST, GEORGE, GERGELY, HARHAI, HERMAN, JAMES, JOSEPHS, LaGROTTA, LEACH, LEVDANSKY, MANDERINO, MANN, McNAUGHTON, R. MILLER, MUNDY, PHILLIPS, PISTELLA, PRESTON, RAYMOND, READSHAW, ROEBUCK, ROONEY, RUBLEY, SCAVELLO, SHANER, SIPTROTH, B. SMITH, STEIL, STETLER, STURLA, J. TAYLOR, THOMAS, VITALI, WALKO, WHEATLEY, CASORIO, CORRIGAN, EACHUS AND GOODMAN, NOVEMBER 14, 2005
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, NOVEMBER 14, 2005
AN ACT 1 Providing for requirements for hospitals and health care 2 facilities that provide services to sexual assault victims, 3 for provision of information and services relating to 4 emergency contraception and for powers and duties of the 5 Department of Health. 6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 7 hereby enacts as follows: 8 Section 1. Short title. 9 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Compassionate 10 Assistance for Rape Emergencies (CARE) Act. 11 Section 2. Definitions. 12 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall 13 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the 14 context clearly indicates otherwise: 15 "Department." The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.
1 "Emergency contraception." Any drug or device approved by 2 the Food and Drug Administration that is used after intercourse 3 to inhibit or prevent ovulation, fertilization or the 4 implantation of a fertilized ovum within the uterus. 5 "Emergency services." Medical examinations, forensic 6 examinations, procedures and services provided by a hospital or 7 health care facility to a sexual assault victim. 8 "Health care facility." Any public or private clinic, 9 center, medical training institution, medical facility, 10 infirmary, dispensary or other institution or location wherein 11 emergency medical care is provided to any person. 12 "Hospital." An institution licensed as a hospital by the 13 Department of Health in accordance with Chapter 8 of the act of 14 July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), known as the Health Care 15 Facilities Act. 16 "Rape crisis center." An office, institution or center that 17 has contracted with a Statewide nonprofit organization 18 identified by the Department of Public Welfare as the prime 19 grantee that arranges for the provision of services to sexual 20 violence and rape victims and offers assistance to victims of 21 sexual assault and their families through crisis intervention, 22 medical and legal accompaniment and follow-up counseling. 23 "Sexual assault." Any offense specified in 18 Pa.C.S. Ch. 31 24 Subch. B (relating to definition of offenses). 25 "Sexual assault counselor." A person who is engaged or 26 employed by an office or center contracted with a Statewide 27 nonprofit organization identified by the Department of Public 28 Welfare as the prime grantee that arranges for the provision of 29 services to sexual violence and rape victims, who has undergone 30 40 hours of sexual assault training and is under the control of 20050H2159B3079 - 2 -
1 a direct services supervisor of a rape crisis center, whose 2 primary purpose is the rendering of advice, counseling or 3 assistance to victims of sexual assault. 4 "Sexual assault victim" or "victim." A female who has been 5 sexually assaulted and presents or is transported to a health 6 care professional, hospital or other health care facility. 7 Section 3. Duty of hospitals and health care facilities. 8 A hospital or health care facility that provides emergency 9 services to sexual assault victims shall, upon a victim's 10 presenting to the hospital or health care facility, promptly: 11 (1) Provide the victim with medically accurate written 12 informational materials regarding emergency contraception 13 prepared or approved under section 4. 14 (2) Orally inform the victim of the availability of 15 emergency contraception, its use and efficacy. 16 (3) Offer the complete regimen of emergency 17 contraception to the victim and provide the regimen onsite 18 upon her request. 19 (4) Inform the victim of the availability of a sexual 20 assault counselor, provide the sexual assault victim with the 21 telephone number of the local rape crisis center and contact 22 the local rape crisis center at the request of the victim. 23 (5) Afford the victim an opportunity to consult with the 24 rape crisis counselor in person and in private while at the 25 hospital or health care facility. 26 Section 4. Informational materials regarding emergency 27 contraception. 28 (a) Care providers.--A hospital or health care facility that 29 provides emergency care to sexual assault victims shall ensure 30 that a person who provides care to sexual assault victims is 20050H2159B3079 - 3 -
1 furnished with medically accurate written informational 2 materials about emergency contraception developed under 3 subsection (b). 4 (b) Development.--The department in collaboration with a 5 Statewide nonprofit organization identified by the Department of 6 Public Welfare as the prime grantee that arranges for the 7 provision of services to sexual violence and rape victims shall 8 develop medically and factually accurate and objective written 9 informational materials relating to emergency contraception for 10 distribution to and use in hospitals and health care facilities 11 in this Commonwealth, in quantities sufficient to comply with 12 the requirements of this act. 13 (c) Requirements.--The department shall prepare, produce and 14 distribute to the hospitals and health care facilities at no 15 cost to the hospitals and health care facilities the written 16 informational materials. The informational material shall: 17 (1) Be in clear and concise language, readily 18 comprehensible, in such varieties and forms as the department 19 shall deem necessary to inform victims in English and 20 languages other than English. 21 (2) Explain the nature of emergency contraception, 22 including its use and efficacy. 23 (3) Be circulated by the department to hospitals and 24 health care facilities in this Commonwealth in quantities 25 sufficient to comply with the requirements of this act. 26 Section 5. Rules and regulations. 27 The department shall promulgate rules and regulations as may 28 be necessary and proper to implement the provisions of this act 29 no later than two years from the effective date of this act. 30 Section 6. Effective date. 20050H2159B3079 - 4 -
1 This act shall take effect in 60 days. J28L35BIL/20050H2159B3079 - 5 -