HB 664

Abstract

Exposure to a decedent's body fluids; testing. Provides that, in cases in which any law-enforcement officer, salaried or volunteer firefighter, or salaried or volunteer emergency medical services provider is directly exposed to body fluids of a deceased person in a manner that may, according to the then-current guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, transmit human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis B or C viruses, the next of kin of the deceased person shall be deemed to have consented to testing of the decedent's blood for infection with human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis B or C viruses and release of such test results to the person who was exposed. Under current law, whenever a law-enforcement officer, salaried or volunteer firefighter, or salaried or volunteer emergency medical services provider is directly exposed to body fluids of a deceased person in a manner that may, according to the then-current guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, transmit human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis B or C viruses, consent for testing and release of the results must be obtained from the next of kin of the deceased person before testing may be initiated.