Bill Text: NH HB200 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relative to serologic testing including Lyme disease.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 5-3)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-02-27 - Inexpedient to Legislate: Motion Adopted Voice Vote 02/27/2019 House Journal 6 P. 14 [HB200 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2019-HB200-Introduced.html
HB 200 - AS INTRODUCED
2019 SESSION
19-0196
01/05
HOUSE BILL 200
AN ACT relative to serologic testing including Lyme disease.
SPONSORS: Rep. Marsh, Carr. 8; Rep. Guthrie, Rock. 13; Rep. Knirk, Carr. 3; Rep. Salloway, Straf. 5; Rep. Edwards, Rock. 4; Rep. Kotowski, Merr. 24; Rep. Stapleton, Sull. 5; Sen. Bradley, Dist 3
COMMITTEE: Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs
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ANALYSIS
This bill requires the commissioner of the department of health and human services to adopt rules clarifying serologic testing for communicable diseases and for Lyme disease.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
19-0196
01/05
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen
AN ACT relative to serologic testing including Lyme disease.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
I. The general court hereby finds that:
(a) Lyme disease is increasingly prevalent in New Hampshire.
(b) Lyme disease is a clinical diagnosis and laboratory tests are, according to current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocols, for surveillance purposes only.
(c) Delay in diagnosis and treatment due to misinterpretation of laboratory tests can be tragic.
(d) The department of health and human services, the New Hampshire Medical Society, and others have been making considerable efforts to educate the public and medical practitioners about Lyme disease and are to be commended for these efforts.
(e) Nevertheless considerable confusion about Lyme disease persists.
II. Therefore the general court hereby intends this act to clarify testing for Lyme disease.
2 New Paragraph; Communicable Disease; Rulemaking; Serologic Tests; Lyme Disease. Amend RSA 141-C:6 by inserting after paragraph XXII the following new paragraph:
XXIII. Clarifying the reporting of serologic tests, both done in accordance with RSA 141-C:19 and by facilities licensed under RSA 151, including serologic tests confirming the diagnosis of Lyme disease, to reflect that many serologic tests only test for the presence of antibodies to antigens, and not for specific diseases. When such rules are written or changed, the commissioner shall use reasonable means to educate the public and health care providers to minimize confusion regarding Lyme disease, methods of diagnosis, and testing affected.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
