SENATE BILL 270

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2007

INTRODUCED BY

Phil A. Griego

AN ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY; ALLOWING HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS TESTING DURING ROUTINE MEDICAL CARE AND PROVIDING FOR THE OPTION TO DECLINE TESTING.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. Section 24-2B-5 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1989, Chapter 227, Section 5, as amended) is amended to read:

     "24-2B-5. INFORMED CONSENT NOT REQUIRED.--Informed consent for testing is not required and the provisions of Section 24-2B-2 NMSA 1978 do not apply for:

          A. a health care provider or health facility performing a test on the donor or recipient when the health care provider or health facility procures, processes, distributes or uses a human body part, including tissue and blood or blood products, donated for a purpose specified under the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act or for transplant recipients or semen provided for the purpose of artificial insemination and [such] the test is necessary to [assure] ensure medical acceptability of a recipient or [such] the gift or semen for the purposes intended;

          B. the performance of a test in bona fide medical emergencies when the subject of the test is unable to grant or withhold consent and the test results are necessary for medical diagnostic purposes to provide appropriate emergency care or treatment, except that post-test counseling or referral for counseling shall nonetheless be required when the individual is able to receive that post-test counseling. Necessary treatment shall not be withheld pending test results;

          C. the performance of a test for the purpose of research if the testing is performed in a manner by which the identity of the test subject is not known and may not be retrieved by the researcher;

          D. the performance of a test done in a setting where the identity of the test subject is not known, such as in public health testing programs and sexually transmitted disease clinics; [or]

          E. the performance of a prenatal test to determine if the human immunodeficiency virus or its antigen is present in a pregnant woman; provided that the woman, or her authorized representative, after having been informed of the option to decline the human immunodeficiency virus test, may choose [to] not to have the human immunodeficiency virus test performed as a part of the routine prenatal testing if she or her authorized representative provides a written statement as follows:

"I am aware that a test to identify the human immunodeficiency virus or its antigen or antibody is a part of routine prenatal testing. However, I voluntarily and knowingly choose to not have the human immunodeficiency virus test performed.

_____________________________________________________________

(Name of patient or authorized representative, signature and date)."; or

          F. a health care provider or health facility in a routine medical care setting performing a test on a person to determine if the human immunodeficiency virus or its antigen is present, provided that the person, or the person's authorized representative, after having been informed of the option to decline the human immunodeficiency virus test, may choose not to have the human immunodeficiency virus test performed as a part of the routine medical care if the person or the person's authorized representative provides a written statement as follows:

"I am aware that a test to identify the human immunodeficiency virus or its antigen or antibody may be a part of routine medical care. However, I voluntarily and knowingly choose not to have the human immunodeficiency virus test performed.

_____________________________________________________________

(Name of patient or authorized representative, signature and date)"."

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