H-3407              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 2020

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By Representative Fuhrman

Read first time 2/8/88 and referred to Committee on Health Care.

AN ACT Relating to AIDS; adding a new section to chapter 70.54 RCW; creating a new section; prescribing penalties; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature finds that acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a lethal communicable disease and that the notification of adult persons living in the same residence as a person infected with AIDS is a substantial and indispensable means of protecting the public health, restricting the transfer of AIDS, and preventing persons engaged in sexual activity, and their potential offspring, from exposure to and infection by the AIDS virus.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 70.54 RCW to read as follows:

          Any person who tests positive for AIDS, pre-AIDS, or the AIDS antibody shall submit to the attending physician, or to the owner, director, manager, supervisor, or other person responsible for the operation of the testing facility, the names of all adult persons living in the same residence as the person tested, along with the address and telephone number of the residence.  The physician or other person shall submit to the local health officer the name of the infected person along with the names of all adult persons living in the same residence as the infected person, and the address and telephone number of the residence.  The local health officer shall notify all such adult persons that the person has tested positive for and is infected with AIDS, pre-AIDS, or the AIDS antibody, shall provide such persons, and the infected person, with information concerning such diseases and shall inform such persons, and the infected person, of the provisions of chapter 70.24 RCW and RCW 70.54.050.  Every person violating or failing to comply with any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, morals, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.