GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION LAW 2001-28
AN ACT TO CLARIFY THE APPLICABILITY OF DISEASE REPORTING and investigation REQUIREMENTS TO ALL DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORIES.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1. G.S. 130A-139 reads as rewritten:
"§ 130A-139. Persons in charge of laboratories to report.
A person in charge of a clinical or pathological
laboratory providing diagnostic service in this State shall report information
required by the Commission to a public health agency specified by the
Commission when the laboratory makes any of the following findings:
(1) Sputa, gastric contents, or other specimens which are smear positive for acid fast bacilli or culture positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis;
(2) Urethral smears positive for Gram-negative intracellular diplococci or any culture positive for Neisseria gonorrhoeae;
(3) Positive serological tests for syphilis or positive darkfield examination;
(4) Any other positive test indicative of a communicable disease or communicable condition for which laboratory reporting is required by the Commission."
SECTION 2. G.S. 130A-144 reads as rewritten:
"§ 130A-144. Investigation and control measures.
(a) The local health director shall investigate, as required by the Commission, cases of communicable diseases and communicable conditions reported to the local health director pursuant to this Article.
(b) Physicians and
persons in charge of medical facilities or clinical or pathological laboratories
shall, upon request and proper identification, permit a local health director
or the State Health Director to examine, review, and obtain a copy of medical
records in their possession or under their control which pertain to the
diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of a communicable disease or communicable
condition for a person infected, exposed, or reasonably suspected of being
infected or exposed to such a disease or condition.
(c) A physician or a
person in charge of a medical facility or clinical or pathological laboratory
who permits examination, review or copying of medical records pursuant to
subsection (b) shall be immune from any civil or criminal liability that otherwise
might be incurred or imposed as a result of complying with a request made
pursuant to subsection (b).
(d) The attending physician shall give control measures prescribed by the Commission to a patient with a communicable disease or communicable condition and to patients reasonably suspected of being infected or exposed to such a disease or condition. The physician shall also give control measures to other individuals as required by rules adopted by the Commission.
(e) The local health director shall ensure that control measures prescribed by the Commission have been given to prevent the spread of all reportable communicable diseases or communicable conditions and any other communicable disease or communicable condition that represents a significant threat to the public health. The local health department shall provide, at no cost to the patient, the examination and treatment for tuberculosis disease and infection and for sexually transmitted diseases designated by the Commission.
(f) All persons shall comply with control measures, including submission to examinations and tests, prescribed by the Commission subject to the limitations of G.S. 130A-148.
(g) The Commission shall adopt rules that prescribe control measures for communicable diseases and conditions subject to the limitations of G.S. 130A-148. Temporary rules prescribing control measures for communicable diseases and conditions shall be adopted pursuant to G.S. 150B-13.
(h) Anyone who assists in an inquiry or investigation conducted by the State Health Director for the purpose of evaluating the risk of transmission of HIV or Hepatitis B from an infected health care worker to patients, or who serves on an expert panel established by the State Health Director for that purpose, shall be immune from civil liability that otherwise might be incurred or imposed for any acts or omissions which result from such assistance or service, provided that the person acts in good faith and the acts or omissions do not amount to gross negligence, willful or wanton misconduct, or intentional wrongdoing. This qualified immunity does not apply to acts or omissions which occur with respect to the operation of a motor vehicle. Nothing in this subsection provides immunity from liability for a violation of G.S. 130A-143."
SECTION 3. G.S. 130A-458 reads as rewritten:
"§ 130A-458. Persons in charge of laboratories to report.
A person in charge of a clinical or pathological laboratory
providing diagnostic service in this State shall report to the Department
laboratory findings related to occupational diseases, illnesses, diseases
and illnesses for which laboratory reporting is required by the Commission."
SECTION 4. This act is effective when it becomes law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 9th day of April, 2001.
s/ Marc Basnight
President Pro Tempore of the Senate
s/ James B. Black
Speaker of the House of Representatives
s/ Michael F. Easley
Governor
Approved 12:37 p.m. this 19th day of April, 2001