SENATE BILL REPORT
SHB 2366
As Reported By Senate Committee On:
Health & Long-Term Care, February 26, 1998
Title: An act relating to providing infectious disease testing for good samaritans.
Brief Description: Providing free infectious disease testing to good samaritans.
Sponsors: House Committee on Health Care (originally sponsored by Representatives Carlson, Pennington, Radcliff, Mielke, Mulliken, Boldt, Gardner, Sheahan, Bush, Anderson, Mitchell, Dyer, Schoesler and McDonald).
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Health & Long‑Term Care: 2/19/98, 2/26/98 [DP].
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH
& LONG-TERM CARE
Majority Report: Do pass.
Signed by Senators Deccio, Chair; Wood, Vice Chair; Benton and Strannigan.
Staff: Jonathan Seib (786-7427)
Background: There is concern that voluntary emergency assistance offered by "good samaritans" may involve mouth to mouth resuscitation or other emergency medical procedures that could result in the exchange of bodily fluids. While this could expose the good samaritan to serious infectious diseases, some may be unable to pay for the testing necessary for detecting such diseases.
Summary of Bill: Any good samaritan who comes in contact with bodily fluids while rendering emergency assistance may receive infectious disease testing free of charge from the public health department of the county of his or her residence, if his or her health insurance does not cover such test. The Department of Health must adopt rules to implement these provisions.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.
Testimony For: The bill addresses a concern of good Samaritans and provides them with a service available to professionals who provide emergency assistance.
Testimony Against: None.
Testified: PRO: Representative Carlson, prime sponsor; John Peppert, Department of Health; Steven Johnson, NW AIDS Foundation; Richard Curtis, City of Vancouver Fire Department.