House Bill 1911

    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                HB 1911

        By Representative Hill






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the State Health Officer;

  3         amending s. 381.0038, F.S.; providing for the

  4         State Health Officer to establish needle and

  5         syringe exchange projects for drug users;

  6         providing project criteria; requiring a report;

  7         providing an effective date.

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  9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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11         Section 1.  Subsection (4) is added to section

12  381.0038, Florida Statutes, to read:

13         381.0038  Education.--The Department of Health shall

14  establish a program to educate the public about the threat of

15  acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

16         (4)  The State Health Officer may establish

17  harm-reduction sterile needle and syringe exchange projects

18  designed to combat HIV/AIDS transmission among injecting drug

19  users, their partners, and their children.

20         (a)  Each project must meet the following criteria:

21         1.  The project area must have a program for preventing

22  HIV transmission operating in the community and the State

23  Health Officer must determine that an exchange project is

24  likely to be an effective component of that program.

25         2.  The project must provide referral to

26  substance-abuse treatment and to other appropriate health and

27  social services.

28         3.  The project must provide education to participants

29  concerning the transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and C and

30  prevention measures.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                HB 1911

    504-157-99






  1         4.  The project must comply with established standards

  2  for the disposal of hazardous medical waste.

  3         (b)  A report evaluating the effectiveness of the

  4  projects shall be submitted to the Legislature by March 1,

  5  2000.

  6         (c)  Exchange or possession of needles and syringes in

  7  compliance with the procedures of the project does not

  8  constitute a violation of s. 893.147.

  9         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1999.

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12                          SENATE SUMMARY

13    Provides for the State Health Officer to establish needle
      and syringe exchange programs for drug users. Establishes
14    guidelines for such projects and requires a report to the
      Legislature.
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