Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB0595
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Full Text of HB0595  94th General Assembly

HB0595enr 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY



 


 
HB0595 Enrolled LRB094 07033 RSP 37173 b

1     AN ACT in relation to educational materials on hepatitis C
2 for veterans.
 
3     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
4 represented in the General Assembly:
 
5     Section 5. The Department of Public Health Powers and
6 Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is
7 amended by changing Section 2310-376 as follows:
 
8     (20 ILCS 2310/2310-376)
9     Sec. 2310-376. Hepatitis C education and outreach.
10     (a) The Illinois General Assembly finds and declares the
11 following:
12         (1) The World Health Organization characterizes
13     Hepatitis C as a disease of primary concern to humanity.
14         (2) Hepatitis C is considered a silent killer; no
15     recognizable signs or symptoms occur until severe liver
16     damage has occurred.
17         (3) Studies indicate that nearly 4 million Americans
18     (1.8 percent of the population) carry the virus HCV that
19     causes the disease.
20         (4) 30,000 acute new infections occur each year in the
21     United States, and only 25 to 30 percent are diagnosed.
22         (5) 8,000 to 10,000 Americans die from the disease each
23     year.
24         (6) 200,000 Illinois residents may be carriers and
25     could develop the debilitating and potentially deadly
26     liver disease.
27         (7) Inmates of correctional facilities have a higher
28     incidence of Hepatitis C and, upon their release, present a
29     significant health risk to the general population.
30         (8) Illinois members of the armed services are subject
31     to an increased risk of contracting Hepatitis due to their
32     possible receipt of contaminated blood during a

 

 

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1     transfusion occurring for the treatment of wounds and due
2     to their service in areas of the World where the disease is
3     more prevalent and healthcare is less capable of detecting
4     and treating the disease. Many of these service members are
5     unaware of the danger of Hepatitis and their increased risk
6     of contracting the disease.
7     (b) Subject to appropriation, the Department shall conduct
8 an education and outreach campaign, in addition to its overall
9 effort to prevent infectious disease in Illinois, in order to
10 raise awareness about and promote prevention of Hepatitis C.
11     (c) Subject to appropriation, in addition to the education
12 and outreach campaign provided in subsection (b), the
13 Department shall develop and make available to physicians,
14 other health care providers, members of the armed services, and
15 other persons subject to an increased risk of contracting
16 Hepatitis, educational materials, in written and electronic
17 forms, on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of the
18 disease. These materials shall include the recommendations of
19 the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and any
20 other persons or entities determined by the Department to have
21 particular expertise on Hepatitis, including the American
22 Liver Foundation. These materials shall be written in terms
23 that are understandable by members of the general public.
24     (d) The Department shall establish an Advisory Council on
25 Hepatitis to develop a Hepatitis prevention plan. The
26 Department shall specify the membership, members' terms,
27 provisions for removal of members, chairmen, and purpose of the
28 Advisory Council. The Advisory Council shall consist of one
29 representative from each of the following State agencies or
30 offices, appointed by the head of each agency or office:
31         (1) The Department of Public Health.
32         (2) The Department of Public Aid.
33         (3) The Department of Corrections.
34         (4) The Department of Veterans' Affairs.
35         (5) The Department on Aging.
36         (6) The Department of Human Services.

 

 

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1         (7) The Department of State Police.
2         (8) The office of the State Fire Marshal.
3     The Director shall appoint representatives of
4 organizations and advocates in the State of Illinois,
5 including, but not limited to, the American Liver Foundation.
6 The Director shall also appoint interested members of the
7 public, including consumers and providers of health services
8 and representatives of local public health agencies, to provide
9 recommendations and information to the members of the Advisory
10 Council. Members of the Advisory Council shall serve on a
11 voluntary, unpaid basis and are not entitled to reimbursement
12 for mileage or other costs they incur in connection with
13 performing their duties.
14 (Source: P.A. 93-129, eff. 1-1-04.)
 
15     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
16 becoming law.