Assemblyman Richard Gottfried (R) and Senator Tom Duane (L)
It’s been a long time coming!
After five (count them- FIVE) separate bills on routinized HIV testing over the last few years, the Gottfried/Duane “Act to Amend the Public Health Law in Relation to HIV Testing” has passed both houses of the NY legislature. Now sitting pretty on Gov. Patterson’s desk, this legislation (S.8227 Duane / A.11487 Gottfried) will require:
- A mandatory offer of HIV testing in all clinical practice settings to all persons from ages 13-64,
- Maintains informed consent,
- Will allow oral informed consent for Rapid HIV tests only with documentation in the patient’s chart,
- Requires both pre-and post-test counseling, and
- For occupational exposure testing will be authorized in certain conditions for patients who do not have the ability to provide consent.
Thank you to everyone in who kept us informed of the bill’s progress and contacted their legislators to inform them of the importance of routinizing HIV testing for NYS patients in primary care settings. Knowledge is power.
The next step: