By:  Carona                                             S.B. No. 99
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                       AN ACT
 1-1     relating to testing for accidental exposure to hepatitis B or
 1-2     hepatitis C.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 81, Health and Safety Code,
 1-5     is amended by adding Section 81.095 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 81.095.  TESTING FOR ACCIDENTAL EXPOSURE.  (a)  In a
 1-7     case of accidental exposure of a health care worker to blood or
 1-8     other body fluids of a patient in a licensed hospital, the
 1-9     hospital, following a report of the exposure incident, shall test
1-10     the patient for hepatitis B or hepatitis C without the patient's
1-11     specific consent to the test.
1-12           (b)  The hospital shall have a policy concerning the
1-13     disclosure of the result of the testing as authorized or required
1-14     by law.
1-15           (c)  The hospital shall abide by all patient confidentiality
1-16     standards as set out in Section 81.046.
1-17           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-18           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-19     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-20     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-21     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-22     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.