Bill > H3145

This bill proposes to amend existing Massachusetts law to establish a procedure for HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) testing in correctional institutions, particularly for public safety officials who may have been exposed to the virus. Specifically, it adds a provision to Chapter 111 of the General Laws that allows a police officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician, or other public safety official who has been exposed to bodily fluids from an individual through a bite, scratch, needle stick, or other means during their official duties, and where that individual is facing criminal charges, to petition a court for an order requiring the individual to be tested for the HTLV-III antibody or antigen. HTLV-III is an older designation for the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). This provision aims to provide a mechanism for public safety officials to ascertain their potential exposure to HIV in the line of duty.