BILL REQ. #:  H-0116.2 

Read first time 01/12/11.   Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources.

     AN ACT Relating to preparing for the epidemiological consequences of diseases related to wolf populations; and adding a new section to chapter 70.54 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 70.54 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) With the assistance of the department of fish and wildlife and the state veterinarian, the department of health shall develop and implement a program to detect, interdict, and assess the epidemiological consequences of diseases that may afflict or may be carried by wolves and the actual and potential impact of wolves' role in such diseases upon human health in the state.
     (2) The program required by this section must include:
     (a) The compilation of a list of those infectious organisms that may infect, afflict, or be carried by wolves, including but not limited to:
     (i) Rabies;
     (ii) Brucellosis (Brucella canis);
     (iii) Hydatid disease (Echinococcus granulosis, multiocularis);
     (iv) Plague (Yersinia pestis);
     (v) Contagious protozoans (Neospora sp., Toxocara sp., Sarcocystis sp.);
     (vi) Mange (Sarcoptes sp., Demodex sp., Cheyletiella sp.);
     (vii) Tularemia (Francisella tularensis); and
     (viii) Roundworms (Toxocara sp.);
     (b) The compilation of a subset of the list provided in (a) of this subsection of those infectious organisms that may infect or afflict humans;
     (c) The identification of high risk categories, vocations, occupations, or recreations of people who are more likely to have been exposed by wolves to any of the infectious organisms identified in (b) of this subsection;
     (d) The development of an outreach program to alert people identified in (c) of this subsection to their potential exposure to the diseases identified in (b) of this subsection;
     (e) The development of a testing and data collection program to test significant samples of people identified in (c) of this subsection for diseases identified in (b) of this subsection to determine the extent to which people of the state are exposed to dangerous diseases or disease organisms because of the presence of wolves in the state;
     (f) The development of public outreach programs to inform the general public and people identified in (c) of this subsection of the potential danger of diseases identified in (b) of this subsection, and what a person may do to avoid becoming infected or to access medical assessment of possible infection;
     (g) The development of an outreach program to the state medical community to inform practitioners of the potential for infection of people by organisms identified in (b) of this subsection, symptoms to watch for, methods of detection, methods of treatment, and reporting requirements;
     (h) The development of an outreach program to animal health practitioners and monitors in the state to inform them of the potential for infection of other animals, including livestock and pets, by organisms identified in (b) of this subsection, symptoms to watch for, methods of detection, methods of treatment, and reporting requirements;
     (i) The development of standardized reporting requirements for the medical community and the animal health community to ensure that data about existence of infections of organisms identified in (b) of this subsection are centrally reported and tracked; and
     (j) The reporting of accomplishments and conclusions to the legislature, in electronic form as required by RCW 43.01.036, and the public every six months.
     (3) The department of health must implement this section using federal grant money or other sources of funding not supported by the state general fund.