S.B. 519                                                  VETOES

WHEREAS, The disease is considered to be such a public health threat that the
United States Department of Health and Human Services has initiated a
comprehensive plan to address this significant health problem, beginning with the
identification of, and notification to, hundreds of thousands of persons who are
inadvertently exposed to hepatitis C through blood transfusions; and

WHEREAS, In the absence of a vaccine for hepatitis C, emphasis must be placed
on other means of awareness and prevention of this disease, including, but not limited
to, education of persons at high risk for hepatitis C as defined by the federal Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as police officers, firefighters, health care
workers, and the general public; and

WHEREAS, Educating the public and health care community throughout the
State about hepatitis C will ensure an optimal approach to controlling this lethal
disease; now, therefore,

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Health - General

SUBTITLE 10. HEPATITIS C ADVISORY COUNCIL.
18-1001.

THERE IS A STATE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON HEPATITIS C.
18-1002.

(A)     IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS
INDICATED.

(B)     "ADVISORY COUNCIL" MEANS THE STATE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON
HEPATITIS C.

(C)     "HCV MEANS THE HEPATITIS C VIRUS.

(D)     "SECRETARY' MEANS THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND MENTAL
HYGIENE.

18-1003.

(A) (1) THE ADVISORY COUNCIL CONSISTS OF 15 16 MEMBERS.
(2) OF THE 15 16 MEMBERS:

(I)      ONE SHALL BE A MEMBER OF THE SENATE OF MARYLAND,
APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE;

(II)     ONE SHALL BE A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES,
APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE;

(III)   ONE SHALL BE THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND MENTAL
HYGIENE OR THE SECRETARY'S DESIGNEE;

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