Bill Text: DE SB259 | 2015-2016 | 148th General Assembly | Draft

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Bill Title: An Act To Amend Title 29 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Sterile Needle And Syringe Exchange Program.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-2)

Status: (Passed) 2016-08-11 - Signed by Governor [SB259 Detail]

Download: Delaware-2015-SB259-Draft.html

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SPONSOR:	Sen. Henry & Rep. Keeley & Rep. Bolden
	Sens. Hall-Long, Lopez; Reps. Bennett, Heffernan, Lynn, Mulrooney, Ramone, Schwartzkopf

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

148th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE BILL NO. 259

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO STERILE NEEDLE AND SYRINGE EXCHANGE PROGRAM.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1.Amend Chapter 79, Title 29 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§7992Operation of the Program.

The program shall:

(6) Include services to:

a. Educate the participants about the dangers of contracting HIV or hepatitis viruses through needle-sharing practices and unsafe sexual behaviors;

b. Provide HIV testing and other communicable disease testing as appropriate when available;

c. Provide a linkage for referrals to drug counseling and treatment services, and follow-up to those referrals to assure that participants are retained in care and receive available treatment.

(10) Operate exclusively within the City of Wilmington.

§7994Oversight Committee

The Director shall appoint an Oversight Committee for the program to provide assistance and advice in the oversight of the program. The Committee shall include: 1 representative of law enforcement from each County in Delaware and 1 representative of law enforcement from the City of Wilmington; 1 physician; 1 injecting drug user or former injecting drug user from each County in Delaware and the City of Wilmington, and up to 2 other individuals who the Director determines to be appropriate for appointment; 1 legislator from the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tem and 1 legislator from the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House; 1 elected official from each County in Delaware and the City of Wilmington; and 1 citizen from each county in Delaware and the City of Wilmington. The Committee shall meet periodically to monitor the progress and effectiveness of the program and to examine data compiled by the program pursuant to §7995 of this title.

§7995 Data collection and program reports.

The program shall collect the following data for the Director and the Oversight Committee:

(4) Data on participants regarding HIV testing and other communicable disease testing, counseling, or other social services;

(6) Impact on the transmission of HIV and Hepatitis infection among injection drug users and their contacts;

SYNOPSIS

The bill authorizes the Division of Public Health (DPH) to provide a Syringe Exchange Program (SEP) statewide.The bill lifts the geographic restriction on the program which is currently limited to the City of Wilmington, and expands the membership of the Oversight Committee to include statewide representation.The goal is to increase the program's flexibility in serving different areas of need as the challenge of managing heroin use and HIV transmission in Delaware is ever evolving.

Author:Senator Henry