HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2428 FILED ON: 1/17/2019
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1470
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Louis L. Kafka
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to the health of public safety officers.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: | Date Added: |
Louis L. Kafka | 8th Norfolk | 1/10/2019 |
Brian W. Murray | 10th Worcester | 1/29/2019 |
John H. Rogers | 12th Norfolk | 2/1/2019 |
James K. Hawkins | 2nd Bristol | 2/1/2019 |
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2428 FILED ON: 1/17/2019
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1470
By Mr. Kafka of Stoughton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1470) of Louis L. Kafka and others relative to the health of public safety officers exposed to hypodermic syringes or hypodermic needles. The Judiciary. |
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 870 OF 2017-2018.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)
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An Act relative to the health of public safety officers.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
Section 1: Chapter 263 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition is hereby amended by adding after section 1A the following new sections:
Section 1B. Blood Testing
Anyone under arrest shall be subject to a blood test, provided that one or more public safety personnel including but not limited to police officers, fire fighters or emergency medical technicians (EMT) were or are suspected to have been exposed to potential blood-borne pathogens. Exposure incidents include, but are not limited to, being stuck by a hypodermic syringe, being stuck by hypodermic needle, or being bitten. The arrested individual shall be tested immediately after arrest, and three months later, if the first test proved negative. The name of the tested person shall be subject to a confidentiality agreement with the police safety personnel who receives the result of the test, and the Department of Public Health shall maintain a record of the test results to provide care to anyone infected.
Section 2: Chapter 270 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition is hereby amended by adding after section 26 the following new sections:
Section 27. Hypodermic Syringes/Needles
The protective cap issued with all hypodermic syringes or hypodermic needles must be in place at all times before and after use. Whoever violates any provision of this paragraph shall be punished by imprisonment in jail or house of correction for not less than one nor more than two years, or by a fine of not less than five hundred nor more than five thousand dollars, or both.