PRINTER'S NO. 2668
No. 1803 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY L. I. COHEN, BELARDI, LAUGHLIN, GEORGE, HERMAN,
MYERS, NAILOR, ALLEN, COY, SATHER, ITKIN, STERN, HALUSKA,
KENNEY, BAKER, MUNDY, GRUPPO, C. WILLIAMS, YOUNGBLOOD,
ARGALL, M. COHEN, J. TAYLOR, BOSCOLA, TRELLO, STABACK,
PISTELLA, JOSEPHS, MELIO, E. Z. TAYLOR, BELFANTI, SEMMEL,
RAMOS, CURRY AND HORSEY, DECEMBER 9, 1997
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,
DECEMBER 9, 1997
AN ACT
1 Providing for the prevention, detection, treatment and follow-up
2 of cases of hepatitis B among State and local law enforcement
3 officers, firefighters, paramedics, emergency medical
4 technicians, ambulance attendants, first responders and
5 health professionals; and making an appropriation.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8 Section 1. Statewide program.
9 In accordance with adopted standards consistent with accepted
10 public health practice and the recommendations of the Centers
11 for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Health
12 shall establish a Statewide program for the prevention,
13 including inoculations, screening, diagnosis, treatment and
14 medical and environmental follow-up of cases, of hepatitis B for
15 State and local law enforcement officers, firefighters,
16 paramedics, emergency medical technicians, ambulance attendants,
17 first responders and health professionals. The Statewide program
1 shall include procedures whereby those receiving inoculations
2 under this act shall apply for Federal funds available to offset
3 all or part of the costs of the inoculations. A summary of the
4 Statewide program shall be made public.
5 Section 2. Eligible persons.
6 Every State and local law enforcement officer, firefighter,
7 paramedic, emergency medical technician, ambulance attendant,
8 first responder and health professional within this Commonwealth
9 who is determined to be at risk for hepatitis B according to
10 standards for the Statewide program adopted by the Department of
11 Health shall be eligible for service under this act.
12 Section 3. Powers and duties of Department of Health.
13 The Department of Health shall provide financial support to
14 State, district, county or local governmental or private
15 agencies which agree to provide screening, diagnostic,
16 treatment, educational and follow-up services as required under
17 the standards established for the Statewide program for the
18 establishment of local hepatitis B detection, treatment or
19 prevention projects.
20 Section 4. Annual report.
21 The Department of Health shall publish an annual report which
22 shall include, at a minimum, the number of State and local law
23 enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, emergency
24 medical technicians, ambulance attendants, first responders and
25 health professionals found to have hepatitis B.
26 Section 5. Immunity.
27 No person shall be liable for civil damages as a result of an
28 act, or the omission of an act, committed while rendering
29 services in good faith and in accordance with the provisions of
30 this act.
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1 Section 6. Appropriation.
2 The sum of $5,000,000, or as much thereof as may be
3 necessary, is hereby appropriated to the Department of Health
4 for the fiscal year July 1, 1997, to June 30, 1998, to carry out
5 the provisions of this act.
6 Section 7. Effective date.
7 This act shall take effect immediately.
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