H-1272.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1730

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Representatives Schual‑Berke, Skinner, Clements, Pennington, Kagi, Linville, Cody, Campbell, Lovick, Cox, Ruderman, Ballasiotes, O'Brien, Hunt, Edwards, Dickerson, Grant, Darneille and Keiser

Read first time 02/01/2001.  Referred to Committee on Health Care.

Requiring certain health care providers to report gunshot or knife wounds to the authorities.

    AN ACT Relating to the reporting of specified injuries by trauma health care providers; and adding a new section to chapter 18.130 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 18.130 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) A physician, nurse, or hospital attendant called upon to treat a person for a gunshot or knife wound must immediately notify the nearest law enforcement agency of the circumstances, together with the name and a description of the patient, the character of the wound, and other facts that may be of assistance to the law enforcement agency in the event the condition of the patient is due to any illegal transaction or circumstances.

    (2) A physician, nurse, or hospital attendant who makes a report in good faith under this section is immune from civil liability resulting from the report.

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