SB463: Infectious diseases; residential or day program, etc. licensed by State to report cases.


SENATE BILL NO. 463
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the Senate Committee on Education and Health
on January 31, 2008)
(Patron Prior to Substitute--Senator Whipple)
A BILL to amend and reenact § 32.1-37 of the Code of Virginia, relating to reporting of infectious diseases.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 32.1-37 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 32.1-37. Reports by persons other than physicians.

A. The person in charge of any medical care facility, school or summer camp as defined in § 35.1-1 shall immediately make or cause to be made a report of a disease required by the Board to be reported when such information is available to that person and that person has reason to believe that no physician has reported such disease as provided in § 32.1-36. Such report shall be made by telephone or in person to the local health director or to the Commissioneraccording to the provisions of the Board.

B. The person in charge of any medical care facility,residential or day program, service or facility licensed or operated by any agency of the Commonwealth, school or summer camp as defined in § 35.1-1 may also voluntarily report additional information at the request of the Department of Health for special surveillance or other epidemiological studies.shall immediately make or cause to be made a report of an outbreak of disease as defined by the Board.  Such report shall be made by rapid means to the local health director or to the Commissioner.

C. The person in charge of any medical care facility, residential or day program, service or facility licensed or operated by any agency of the Commonwealth, school, or summer camp as defined in § 35.1-1 may also voluntarily report additional information, including individual cases of communicable diseases, at the request of the Department of Health for special surveillance or other epidemiological studies. 

SENATE BILL NO. 463
Offered January 9, 2008
Prefiled January 9, 2008
A BILL to amend and reenact § 32.1-37 of the Code of Virginia, relating to reporting of infectious diseases.
Patron-- Whipple
Referred to Committee on Education and Health

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 32.1-37 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 32.1-37. Reports by persons other than physicians.

A. The person in charge of any medical care facility, residential facility or group home licensed by either the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services or the Department of Social Services, school, or summer camp as defined in § 35.1-1 shall immediately make or cause to be made a report of a disease required by the Board to be reported when such information is available to that person and that person has reason to believe that no physician has reported such disease as provided in § 32.1-36. Such report shall be made by telephone or in person to the local health director orand to the Commissioner.

B. The person in charge of any medical care facility, residential facility or group home licensed by either the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services or the Department of Social Services, school, or summer camp as defined in § 35.1-1 may also voluntarily report additional information at the request of the Department of Health for special surveillance or other epidemiological studies.