PRINTER'S NO. 82
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
135
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY GREENLEAF, STACK, TEPLITZ, BROWNE, TARTAGLIONE,
VULAKOVICH, BREWSTER, HUGHES AND RAFFERTY, JANUARY 14, 2015
REFERRED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, JANUARY 14, 2015
AN ACT
Providing for the prevention, detection, treatment and follow-up
of cases of hepatitis B among State and local law enforcement
officers, firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical
technicians, ambulance attendants, first responders and
health professionals.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Emergency and
Law Enforcement Officer Hepatitis B Inoculation Act.
Section 2. Statewide program.
In accordance with adopted standards consistent with accepted
public health practice and the recommendations of the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Health
shall establish a Statewide program for the prevention,
including inoculations, screening, diagnosis, treatment and
medical and environmental follow-up of cases, of hepatitis B for
State and local law enforcement officers, firefighters,
paramedics, emergency medical technicians, ambulance attendants,
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
first responders and health professionals. The Statewide program
shall include procedures whereby those receiving inoculations
under this act shall apply for Federal funds available to offset
all or part of the costs of the inoculations. The Department of
Health shall make public a summary of the Statewide program.
Section 3. Eligible persons.
Every State and local law enforcement officer, firefighter,
paramedic, emergency medical technician, ambulance attendant,
first responder and health professional within this Commonwealth
who is determined to be at risk for hepatitis B according to
standards for the Statewide program adopted by the Department of
Health shall be eligible for services under this act.
Section 4. Powers and duties of Department of Health.
The Department of Health shall provide financial support to
State, district, county or local governmental or private
agencies which agree to provide screening, diagnostic,
treatment, educational and follow-up services as required under
the standards established for the Statewide program for the
establishment of local hepatitis B detection, treatment or
prevention projects.
Section 5. Annual report.
The Department of Health shall publish an annual report which
shall include, at a minimum, the number of State and local law
enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, emergency
medical technicians, ambulance attendants, first responders and
health professionals found to have hepatitis B.
Section 6. Immunity.
No person shall be liable for civil damages as a result of an
act, or the omission of an act, committed while rendering
services in good faith and in accordance with the provisions of
20150SB0135PN0082 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
this act.
Section 7. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.
20150SB0135PN0082 - 3 -
1
2
3