HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1140        FILED ON: 1/13/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2022

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act requiring the reporting of Autism by persons examining or treating such disease..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 111C the following:—

Section 111D. A hospital, physician, intern, physician assistant, a public health nurse or other person who professionally examines or treats a person with Autism shall report such examination or treatment to the department of public health in accordance with rules and regulations of the department. Such reports shall be made on forms prescribed by the commissioner and shall be submitted as soon as possible after such examination.  The department shall, subject to appropriation, maintain comprehensive records of all reports submitted pursuant to this section. Such reports shall be confidential and shall be released by the department only upon written request of the subject of such report, or his guardian, executor, attorney, or other person designated by said subject in writing. Such reports and records or information contained therein, may also be released by the department to persons authorized by the commissioner to conduct research studies or to other persons, but no report or record shall be released which allows identification of the subjects of said reports or records. Whoever violates this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars.