HR 1943 Stop AIDS in Prison Act 2007

September 25, 2007

Members of 2 Million Plus
Citizens -in-Action Representatives:

This week the U.S. Judiciary Committee is to Vote on H.R. 1943 to Stop Aids in Prison Act 2007.

Please send a request to the Judiciary Committee Members requesting the passage of this bill. As a Citizen of The United States of America you are requesting the Committee to make immediate changes to reform the America Industrial Prison Complexes of America .

Please send Representative Waters a note of acknowledgement and thank you for bringing forth this Bill.

Thank you for your participate to make a difference. It only takes “ONE” person to make a difference, are you that Person?

2MP member please Review the Process and what this Bill Covers:

HR 1943 EH

To provide for an effective HIV/AIDS program in Federal prisons.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Stop AIDS in Prison Act of 2007'.

SEC. 2. COMPREHENSIVE HIV/AIDS POLICY.

(a) In General- The Bureau of Prisons (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the `Bureau') shall develop a comprehensive policy to provide HIV testing, treatment, and prevention for inmates within the correctional setting and upon reentry.

(b) Purpose- The purposes of this policy shall be as follows:

(1) To stop the spread of HIV/AIDS among inmates.

(2) To protect prison guards and other personnel from HIV/AIDS infection.

(3) To provide comprehensive medical treatment to inmates who are living with HIV/AIDS.

(4) To promote HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention among inmates.

(5) To encourage inmates to take personal responsibility for their health.

(6) To reduce the risk that inmates will transmit HIV/AIDS to other persons in the community following their release from prison.

(c) Consultation- The Bureau shall consult with appropriate officials of the Department of Health and Human Services, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and the Centers for Disease Control regarding the development of this policy.

(d) Time Limit- The Bureau shall draft appropriate regulations to implement this policy not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. REQUIREMENTS FOR POLICY.

The policy created under section 2 shall do the following:

(1) TESTING AND COUNSELING UPON INTAKE-

(A) Medical personnel shall provide routine HIV testing to all inmates as a part of a comprehensive medical examination immediately following admission to a facility. (Medical personnel need not provide routine HIV testing to an inmate who is transferred to a facility from another facility if the inmate's medical records are transferred with the inmate and indicate that the inmate has been tested previously.).

(B) To all inmates admitted to a facility prior to the effective date of this policy, medical personnel shall provide routine HIV testing within no more than 6 months. HIV testing for these inmates may be performed in conjunction with other health services provided to these inmates by medical personnel.

(C) All HIV tests under this paragraph shall comply with paragraph (9).

(2) PRE-TEST AND POST-TEST COUNSELING- Medical personnel shall provide confidential pre-test and post-test counseling to all inmates who are tested for HIV. Counseling may be included with other general health counseling provided to inmates by medical personnel.

(3) HIV/AIDS PREVENTION EDUCATION-

(A) Medical personnel shall improve HIV/AIDS awareness through frequent educational programs for all inmates. HIV/AIDS educational programs may be provided by community based organizations, local health departments, and inmate peer educators. These HIV/AIDS educational programs shall include information on modes of transmission, including transmission through tattooing, sexual contact, and intravenous drug use; prevention methods; treatment; and disease progression. HIV/AIDS educational programs shall be culturally sensitive, conducted in a variety of languages, and present scientifically accurate information in a clear and understandable manner.

(B) HIV/AIDS educational materials shall be made available to all inmates at orientation, at health care clinics, at regular educational programs, and prior to release. Both written and audio-visual materials shall be made available to all inmates. These materials shall be culturally sensitive, written for low literacy levels, and available in a variety of languages.

(4) HIV TESTING UPON REQUEST-

(A) Medical personnel shall allow inmates to obtain HIV tests upon request once per year or whenever an inmate has a reason to believe the inmate may have been exposed to HIV. Medical personnel shall, both orally and in writing, inform inmates, during orientation and periodically throughout incarceration, of their right to obtain HIV tests.

(B) Medical personnel shall encourage inmates to request HIV tests if the inmate is sexually active, has been raped, uses intravenous drugs, receives a tattoo, or if the inmate is concerned that the inmate may have been exposed to HIV/AIDS.

(C) An inmate's request for an HIV test shall not be considered an indication that the inmate has put him/herself at risk of infection and/or committed a violation of prison rules.

(5) HIV TESTING OF PREGNANT WOMAN-

(A) Medical personnel shall provide routine HIV testing to all inmates who become pregnant.

(B) All HIV tests under this paragraph shall comply with paragraph (9).

(6) COMPREHENSIVE TREATMENT-

(A) Medical personnel shall provide all inmates who test positive for HIV--

(i) timely, comprehensive medical treatment;

(ii) confidential counseling on managing their medical condition and preventing its transmission to other persons; and

(iii) voluntary partner notification services.

(B) Medical care provided under this paragraph shall be consistent with current Department of Health and Human Services guidelines and standard medical practice. Medical personnel shall discuss treatment options, the importance of adherence to antiretroviral therapy, and the side effects of medications with inmates receiving treatment.

(C) Medical and pharmacy personnel shall ensure that the facility formulary contains all Food and Drug Administration-approved medications necessary to provide comprehensive treatment for inmates living with HIV/AIDS, and that the facility maintains adequate supplies of such medications to meet inmates' medical needs. Medical and pharmacy personnel shall also develop and implement automatic renewal systems for these medications to prevent interruptions in care.

(D) Correctional staff and medical and pharmacy personnel shall develop and implement distribution procedures to ensure timely and confidential access to medications.

(7) PROTECTION OF CONFIDENTIALITY-

(A) Medical personnel shall develop and implement procedures to ensure the confidentiality of inmate tests, diagnoses, and treatment. Medical personnel and correctional staff shall receive regular training on the implementation of these procedures. Penalties for violations of inmate confidentiality by medical personnel or correctional staff shall be specified and strictly enforced.

(B) HIV testing, counseling, and treatment shall be provided in a confidential setting where other routine health services are provided and in a manner that allows the inmate to request and obtain these services as routine medical services.

(8) TESTING, COUNSELING, AND REFERRAL PRIOR TO REENTRY-

(A) Medical personnel shall provide routine HIV testing to all inmates no more than 3 months prior to their release and reentry into the community. (Inmates who are already known to be infected need not be tested again.). This requirement may be waived if an inmate's release occurs without sufficient notice to the Bureau to allow medical personnel to perform a routine HIV test and notify the inmate of the results.

(B) All HIV tests under this paragraph shall comply with paragraph (9).

(C) To all inmates who test positive for HIV and all inmates who already are known to have HIV/AIDS, medical personnel shall provide--

(i) confidential prerelease counseling on managing their medical condition in the community, accessing appropriate treatment and services in the community, and preventing the transmission of their condition to family members and other persons in the community;

(ii) referrals to appropriate health care providers and social service agencies in the community that meet the inmate's individual needs, including voluntary partner notification services and prevention counseling services for people living with HIV/AIDS; and

(iii) a 30-day supply of any medically necessary medications the inmate is currently receiving.

(9) OPT-OUT PROVISION- Inmates shall have the right to refuse routine HIV testing. Inmates shall be informed both orally and in writing of this right. Oral and written disclosure of this right may be included with other general health information and counseling provided to inmates by medical personnel. If an inmate refuses a routine test for HIV, medical personnel shall make a note of the inmate's refusal in the inmate's confidential medical records. However, the inmate's refusal shall not be considered a violation of prison rules or result in disciplinary action.

(10) EXPOSURE INCIDENT TESTING- The Bureau may perform HIV testing of an inmate under section 4014 of title 18, United States Code. HIV testing of an inmate who is involved in an exposure incident is not `routine HIV testing' for the purposes of paragraph (9) and does not require the inmate's consent. Medical personnel shall document the reason for exposure incident testing in the inmate's confidential medical records.

(11) TIMELY NOTIFICATION OF TEST RESULTS- Medical personnel shall provide timely notification to inmates of the results of HIV tests.

SEC. 4. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW.

(a) Screening in General- Section 4014(a) of title 18, United States Code, is amended--

(1) by striking `for a period of 6 months or more';

(2) by striking `, as appropriate,'; and

(3) by striking `if such individual is determined to be at risk for infection with such virus in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Bureau of Prisons relating to infectious disease management' and inserting `unless the individual declines. The Attorney General shall also cause such individual to be so tested before release unless the individual declines'.

(b) Inadmissibility of HIV Test Results in Civil and Criminal Proceedings- Section 4014(d) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting `or under the Stop AIDS in Prison Act of 2007' after `under this section'.

(c) Screening as Part of Routine Screening- Section 4014(e) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: `Such rules shall also provide that the initial test under this section be performed as part of the routine health screening conducted at intake.'.

SEC. 5. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

(a) Report on Hepatitis and Other Diseases- Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Bureau shall provide a report to the Congress on Bureau policies and procedures to provide testing, treatment, and prevention education programs for Hepatitis and other diseases transmitted through sexual activity and intravenous drug use. The Bureau shall consult with appropriate officials of the Department of Health and Human Services, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and the Centers for Disease Control regarding the development of this report.

(b) Annual Reports-

(1) GENERALLY- Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, and then annually thereafter, the Bureau shall report to Congress on the incidence among inmates of diseases transmitted through sexual activity and intravenous drug use.

(2) MATTERS PERTAINING TO VARIOUS DISEASES- Reports under paragraph (1) shall discuss--

(A) the incidence among inmates of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, and other diseases transmitted through sexual activity and intravenous drug use; and

(B) updates on Bureau testing, treatment, and prevention education programs for these diseases.

(3) MATTERS PERTAINING TO HIV/AIDS ONLY- Reports under paragraph (1) shall also include--

(A) the number of inmates who tested positive for HIV upon intake;

(B) the number of inmates who tested positive prior to reentry;

(C) the number of inmates who were not tested prior to reentry because they were released without sufficient notice;

(D) the number of inmates who opted-out of taking the test;

(E) the number of inmates who were tested following exposure incidents; and

(F) the number of inmates under treatment for HIV/AIDS.

(4) CONSULTATION- The Bureau shall consult with appropriate officials of the Department of Health and Human Services, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and the Centers for Disease Control regarding the development of reports under paragraph (1).

SEC. 6. APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.

Passed the House of Representatives September 25, 2007.

Attest:

Clerk.

To provide for an effective HIV/AIDS program in Federal prisons.

Patrick J. Leahy CHAIRMAN, D-VERMONT 433 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-4242 E-Mailto:senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov/

Edward M. Kennedy D-MASSACHUSETTS http://kennedy.senate.gov/senator/contact.cfm 317 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-4543 Web Form: kennedy.senate.gov/senator/contact.cfm

Arlen Specter RANKING MEMBER, R-PENNSYLVANIA http://specter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm 711 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-4254 Web Form: specter.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInfo.Home

Joseph R. Biden, Jr. D-DELAWARE 201 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-5042 Web Form: biden.senate.gov/contact/emailjoe.cfm

Orrin G. Hatch R-UTAH 104 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-5251 Web Form: hatch.senate.gov/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Offices.Contact

Herb Kohl D-WISCONSIN 730 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-4521 Web Form: kyl.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Charles E. Grassley R-IOWA 135 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-3744 Web Form: grassley.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Dianne Feinstein D-CALIFORNIA 331 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-3841 Web Form: feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactU...

Jon Kyl R-ARIZONA 730 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-4521 Web Form: kyl.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Russell D. Feingold D-WISCONSIN 506 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 202) 224-5323 Web Form: Senator Feingold

Jeff Sessions R-ALABAMA 335 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-4124 Web Form: sessions.senate.gov/email/contact.cfm

Charles E. Schumer D-NEW YORK 313 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-6542 Web Form: schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/contact/webform.cfm

Lindsey Graham R-SOUTH CAROLINA 290 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-5972 Web Form: lgraham.senate.gov/index.cfm?mode=contact

Richard J. Durbin D-ILLINOIS 309 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-2152 Web Form: durbin.senate.gov/contact.cfm

John Cornyn R-TEXAS 517 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-2934 Web Form: cornyn.senate.gov/contact/index.html

Benjamin L. Cardin D-MARYLAND 509 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-4524 Web Form: cardin.senate.gov/contact/

Sam Brownback R-KANSAS 303 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-6521 Web Form: brownback.senate.gov/CMEmailMe.cfm

Sheldon Whitehouse D-RHODE ISLAND 502 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-2921 Web Form: whitehouse.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Tom Coburn R-OKLAHOMA 172 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-5754 Web Form: coburn.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Please Contact Representative Maxine Waters to thank her for all the hours she has spent bringing this Bill on Aids to help Prisoners: Contact Rep.Waters at: http://www.house.gov/waters/contact/