HB 661

Abstract

Secretaries of Health and Human Resources and Public Safety and Homeland Security; work group; improving response to exposure-prone incidents. Directs the Secretaries of Health and Human Resources and Public Safety and Homeland Security to establish a work group to develop a plan to improve the Commonwealth's response to exposure-prone incidents involving employees of law-enforcement agencies, volunteers and employees of fire departments and companies, and volunteers and employees of emergency medical services agencies and other appropriate entities. The work group shall (i) develop a plan to establish an entity to assist with management of exposure-prone incidents involving employees of law-enforcement agencies, volunteers and employees of fire departments and companies, and volunteers and employees of emergency medical services agencies and other appropriate entities and (ii) study and develop recommendations related to developing the ability to perform postmortem testing for infection with human immunodeficiency (HIV) or hepatitis B or C viruses through the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services. The work group shall report its findings to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 1, 2020.

Secretaries of Health and Human Resources and Public Safetyand Homeland Security; work group; improving response to exposure-proneincidents. Directs the Secretaries of Health and Human Resources and ofPublic Safety and Homeland Security to establish a work group to develop a planto improve the Commonwealth's response to exposure-prone incidents involvingemployees of law-enforcement agencies, volunteers and employees of firedepartments and companies, and volunteers and employees of emergency medicalservices agencies and other appropriate entities. The work group shall (i)develop a plan for an entity to assist with management of exposure-proneincidents involving employees of law-enforcement agencies, volunteers and employeesof fire departments and companies, and volunteers and employees of emergencymedical services agencies and other appropriate entities and (ii) study anddevelop recommendations related to developing the ability to perform postmortemtesting for infection with human immunodeficiency (HIV) or hepatitis B or Cviruses through the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services. The workgroup shall report its findings to the Governor and the General Assembly byDecember 1, 2020. The bill also directs the Department of General Services totake steps to implement postmortem testing for infection with HIV or hepatitisB or C viruses using a screening assay that is licensed for such purpose by theU.S. Food and Drug Administration and to report to the Governor and the GeneralAssembly on the status of the contract by December 1, 2020.