House Study Bill 509 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES BILL BY CHAIRPERSON SMITH) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the disclosure of disease information 1 reported to a public health department. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5387HC (2) 83 pf/nh
H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 22.7, subsection 16, Code Supplement 1 2009, is amended to read as follows: 2 16. Information in a report to the Iowa department of 3 public health, to a local board of health, or to a local health 4 department, which specifically identifies a person infected 5 with a reportable disease. However, this subsection shall 6 not be construed to prevent the disclosure of the county of 7 residence, health condition, sex, and approximate age of a 8 person infected with a reportable disease. 9 Sec. 2. Section 139A.3, subsection 2, paragraphs b and c, 10 Code 2009, are amended to read as follows: 11 b. A report or other information provided to or maintained 12 by the department, a local board, or a local department, 13 which specifically identifies a person infected with or 14 exposed to a reportable or other disease or health condition, 15 is confidential and shall not be accessible to the public. 16 However, this paragraph shall not be construed to prevent the 17 disclosure of the county of residence, health condition, sex, 18 and approximate age of a person infected with or exposed to a 19 reportable or other disease or health condition. 20 c. Notwithstanding paragraph “b” , information contained 21 in the report , including the county of residence, health 22 condition, sex, and approximate age of a person infected 23 with or exposed to a reportable or other disease or health 24 condition, may be reported in public health records in a manner 25 which prevents the identification of any person or business 26 named in the report. If information contained in the report 27 concerns a business, information disclosing the identity of 28 the business may be released to the public when the state 29 epidemiologist or the director of public health determines such 30 a release of information necessary for the protection of the 31 health of the public. 32 EXPLANATION 33 This bill provides for the disclosure of information 34 included in reports to the department of public health, local 35 -1- LSB 5387HC (2) 83 pf/nh 1/ 2
H.F. _____ boards of health, or local departments of health relating to 1 reportable or other diseases or health conditions which does 2 not specifically identify the individual. Such information 3 may include the county of residence, health condition, sex, 4 and approximate age of a person infected with or exposed to a 5 reportable or other disease or health condition. 6 -2- LSB 5387HC (2) 83 pf/nh 2/ 2