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Text: HF00628                           Text: HF00630
Text: HF00600 - HF00699                 Text: HF Index
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House File 629

Partial Bill History

Bill Text

PAG LIN
  1  1    Section 1.  Section 730.5, subsection 1, Code 1997, is
  1  2 amended to read as follows:
  1  3    1.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise
  1  4 requires:
  1  5    a.  "drug Drug test" means any blood, urine, saliva,
  1  6 chemical, or skin tissue test conducted for the purpose of
  1  7 detecting the presence of a chemical substance in an
  1  8 individual.
  1  9    b.  "Preemployment" means that period of time between when
  1 10 a bona fide offer of employment is made and when employment
  1 11 begins.
  1 12    Sec. 2.  Section 730.5, subsection 2, Code 1997, is amended
  1 13 to read as follows:
  1 14    2.  Except as provided in subsection 7, an employer shall
  1 15 not require or request employees or applicants for employment
  1 16 to submit to a drug test as a condition of employment,
  1 17 preemployment, promotion, or change in status of employment.
  1 18 An employer shall not request, require, or conduct random or
  1 19 blanket drug testing of employees.  However, this section does
  1 20 not apply to preemployment drug tests authorized for peace
  1 21 officers or correctional officers of the state, or to drug
  1 22 tests required under federal statutes or under federal
  1 23 regulations adopted as of July 1, 1990, or to drug tests
  1 24 conducted pursuant to a nuclear regulatory commission
  1 25 regulation, or to drug tests conducted to determine if an
  1 26 employee is ineligible to receive workers' compensation under
  1 27 section 85.16, subsection 2.
  1 28    The exemption granted by this subsection relating to drug
  1 29 testing pursuant to federal regulations adopted as of July 1,
  1 30 1990, is of no effect, as it applies to a particular
  1 31 regulation, upon a finding by a court of competent
  1 32 jurisdiction, including any appeal of such finding, that the
  1 33 particular regulation is unconstitutional or otherwise
  1 34 invalid.  The decision of a court invalidating any regulation
  1 35 exempted by this section shall not be stayed pending appeal.
  2  1    Sec. 3.  Section 730.5, subsection 3, paragraph a, Code
  2  2 1997, is amended to read as follows:
  2  3    a.  The employer has probable cause to believe that an
  2  4 employee's faculties are impaired on the job.  For purposes of
  2  5 this paragraph, an employer has probable cause to believe that
  2  6 an employee's faculties are impaired on the job if the
  2  7 employer is investigating an accident in the workplace and all
  2  8 of the following conditions are met:
  2  9    (1)  The employer has reasonable grounds to believe that
  2 10 the employee proposed to be tested either directly caused or
  2 11 directly contributed to the accident.
  2 12    (2)  The employer has reasonable grounds to believe that
  2 13 the employee's faculties were impaired and that the impairment
  2 14 was likely a substantial factor in causing the accident.
  2 15    (3)  The accident results in a personal injury which
  2 16 requires medical treatment away from the workplace or damage
  2 17 to property, including equipment, in an amount reasonably
  2 18 estimated to exceed three thousand dollars at the time of the
  2 19 accident.
  2 20    (4)  Prior to the accident, the employer has provided the
  2 21 employee to be tested with written notice of the employer's
  2 22 rules or policies regarding alcohol and controlled substances
  2 23 and testing when a workplace accident or injury occurs.
  2 24    Sec. 4.  Section 730.5, subsection 3, paragraph c, Code
  2 25 1997, is amended to read as follows:
  2 26    c.  The test sample withdrawn from the employee is analyzed
  2 27 by a laboratory or testing facility that has been approved
  2 28 under rules adopted by the department of public health.  The
  2 29 laboratory or testing facility shall test for and report to
  2 30 the employer only the presence of alcohol or illegal
  2 31 controlled substances in any test sample.  Upon request by an
  2 32 employee or applicant for employment, the employer shall
  2 33 provide to the employee or applicant the results of any drug
  2 34 test.  The rules adopted by the department of public health
  2 35 shall provide for all of the following:
  3  1    (1)  The initial screening test may utilize immunoassay,
  3  2 thin layer, high performance liquid or gas chromatography, or
  3  3 an equivalent technology.  If the initial test utilizes
  3  4 immunoassay, the test kit must meet the requirements of the
  3  5 United States food and drug administration.
  3  6    (2)  Samples which have tested positive by initial testing,
  3  7 with the exception of alcohol, shall be confirmed by gas
  3  8 chromatography-mass spectrometry or by a scientifically
  3  9 equivalent technique approved by the department.
  3 10    (3)  All initial positive drug test results with the
  3 11 exception of alcohol shall be confirmed by gas chromatography-
  3 12 mass spectrometry or an equivalent test approved by the
  3 13 department before being reported as positive or negative.
  3 14    (4)  All initial positive test results for alcohol shall be
  3 15 confirmed by gas chromatography, or a test that is recognized
  3 16 by the department as an equivalent test before being reported
  3 17 as positive or negative.
  3 18    (5)  Preliminary reports for drugs other than alcohol shall
  3 19 not be issued in the absence of confirmation by gas
  3 20 chromatography-mass spectrometry or a scientifically
  3 21 equivalent test approved by the department.
  3 22    (6)  Complete chain of custody procedures shall be used for
  3 23 referred specimens.  When sample volumes permit, it is
  3 24 recommended that only an aliquot of the original specimen be
  3 25 sent to a reference laboratory.
  3 26    Sec. 5.  Section 730.5, subsection 7, Code 1997, is amended
  3 27 to read as follows:
  3 28    7.  A drug test conducted as a part of a physical
  3 29 examination performed as a part of a preemployment physical or
  3 30 as a part of a regularly scheduled physical is only
  3 31 permissible In addition to drug testing permitted by
  3 32 subsection 3, drug testing of an employee or applicant for
  3 33 employment shall also be permitted under the following
  3 34 circumstances:
  3 35    a.  For a drug test during a preemployment physical, the
  4  1 employer shall include notice that a drug test will be part of
  4  2 a preemployment physical in any notice or advertisement
  4  3 soliciting applicants for employment or in the application for
  4  4 employment, and an applicant for employment shall be
  4  5 personally informed of the requirement for a drug test at the
  4  6 first interview.
  4  7    If the test sample withdrawn from the applicant is analyzed
  4  8 by the state hygienic laboratory or a laboratory certified by,
  4  9 and at the request of, the state hygienic laboratory, the cost
  4 10 of the initial test of the sample shall not be paid for by the
  4 11 employer but shall be paid for by the state.
  4 12    b.  For a drug test during a regularly scheduled physical,
  4 13 the employer shall give notice that a drug test will be part
  4 14 of the physical at least thirty days prior to the date the
  4 15 physical is scheduled.
  4 16    c.  For a preemployment drug test not conducted as part of
  4 17 a preemployment physical, the employer shall provide that any
  4 18 sample taken for analysis be taken under the direct
  4 19 supervision of a person licensed under chapter 148, 148C,
  4 20 150A, or 152, and that the sample shall be analyzed by the
  4 21 state hygienic laboratory or a laboratory certified by, and at
  4 22 the request of, the state hygienic laboratory.
  4 23    d.  An employer may require an employee, as a condition of
  4 24 employment, to undergo testing for illegal use of drugs if
  4 25 that employee has been referred by the employer for substance
  4 26 abuse evaluation pursuant to subsection 3, paragraph "f", and
  4 27 treatment, if recommended by the evaluation.  The employee may
  4 28 be required to undergo testing for illegal use of drugs
  4 29 without prior notice, but in no case shall more than three
  4 30 tests be conducted in the eighteen-month period following the
  4 31 employee's completion of substance abuse treatment if the
  4 32 treatment was recommended by the evaluation.  A drug test
  4 33 shall not be required of an employee by an employer during
  4 34 drug treatment of the employee, if such testing would
  4 35 duplicate testing of the employee conducted in the course of
  5  1 treatment and the employee has waived confidentiality as to
  5  2 the employer of the results of such testing.  An employer
  5  3 shall not require an employee to submit to testing for illegal
  5  4 use of drugs under this paragraph if more than eighteen months
  5  5 have elapsed since the employee successfully completed drug
  5  6 treatment and the employee has not had a drug test conducted
  5  7 indicating the presence of alcohol or an illegal controlled
  5  8 substance during that eighteen-month period.
  5  9    e.  If a preemployment drug test is conducted on an
  5 10 applicant who does not reside in this state, the sample taken
  5 11 for analysis shall be maintained under the supervision of a
  5 12 comparable licensed person in the state in which the test is
  5 13 conducted and the drug test shall be performed by a laboratory
  5 14 certified by United States department of health and human
  5 15 services.
  5 16    Drug testing conducted under this subsection shall conform
  5 17 to the requirements of subsection 3, paragraphs "c", "d", "e",
  5 18 and "f"; however, paragraph "f" shall not apply to
  5 19 preemployment drug tests conducted as a part of a
  5 20 preemployment physical.
  5 21    Sec. 6.  Section 730.5, subsection 9, paragraph a, Code
  5 22 1997, is amended to read as follows:
  5 23    a.  A person who violates this section or who aids in the
  5 24 violation of this section is liable to an aggrieved employee
  5 25 or applicant for employment for affirmative relief including
  5 26 reinstatement or hiring, with or without back pay, liquidated
  5 27 damages in the amount of one hundred dollars for each
  5 28 violation, or any other equitable relief as the court deems
  5 29 appropriate including attorney fees and court costs.
  5 30    Sec. 7.  Section 730.5, subsection 11, Code 1997, is
  5 31 amended by striking the subsection.
  5 32    Sec. 8.  Section 730.5, Code 1997, is amended by adding the
  5 33 following new subsection:
  5 34    NEW SUBSECTION.  12.  An employer who conducts a drug test
  5 35 pursuant to this section shall, for each fiscal year beginning
  6  1 on or after July 1, 1997, file an annual report with the
  6  2 division of labor services of the department of workforce
  6  3 development, on forms provided by the division, documenting
  6  4 separately the following information for all preemployment
  6  5 drug tests, regularly scheduled drug tests, and drug tests
  6  6 conducted pursuant to a finding of probable cause:
  6  7    a.  The number of drug tests conducted in each category.
  6  8    b.  The results of drug tests conducted in each category.
  6  9    c.  The number of personal injuries, and the dollar loss
  6 10 for property damage, arising out of the use of alcohol and
  6 11 illegal controlled substances by employees.
  6 12    d.  The cumulative direct costs of drug tests in each
  6 13 category.
  6 14    e.  The cost of substance abuse evaluation and treatment
  6 15 for employees in each category.  
  6 16                           EXPLANATION
  6 17    This bill makes changes in Iowa's law governing drug
  6 18 testing of employees and applicants for employment.
  6 19    The bill provides for drug testing during preemployment if
  6 20 the test is taken by certain licensed health care providers
  6 21 and if the test is analyzed by the state hygienic laboratory
  6 22 or a laboratory certified by the state laboratory.  If the
  6 23 preemployment drug test is conducted as part of a physical and
  6 24 the test sample is analyzed by the state hygienic laboratory,
  6 25 the bill provides that the employer shall not be liable for
  6 26 the cost of the analysis and that the state shall pay for the
  6 27 initial test.
  6 28    The bill provides for the conditions necessary to permit a
  6 29 drug test pursuant to probable cause and also provides for the
  6 30 manner of conducting the analysis of a drug test sample.
  6 31    The bill also permits an employer to require an employee
  6 32 who has been referred to substance abuse evaluation to submit
  6 33 to no more than three random drug tests for 18 months
  6 34 following completion of substance abuse treatment.
  6 35    The bill also provides for a $100 liquidated damage penalty
  7  1 for a violation of the drug testing section and also
  7  2 eliminates the current Code provision that a violation of the
  7  3 drug testing section constitutes a simple misdemeanor.
  7  4    The bill also provides for annual reporting by employers to
  7  5 the labor division of the department of workforce development
  7  6 concerning drug tests conducted by the employer.  
  7  7 LSB 2318YH 77
  7  8 ec/jj/8
     

Text: HF00628                           Text: HF00630
Text: HF00600 - HF00699                 Text: HF Index
Bills and Amendments: General Index     Bill History: General Index

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