1.This Act may be cited as the
Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of
2009
.
<enum>I</enum><header>Federal Firefighters
Fairness</header>
<section changed="not-changed" id="HD6FEC0B221C04E6F87A77500B606FB5D"><enum><deleted-phrase committee-id="SSGA00" reported-display-style="strikethrough">2.</deleted-phrase><added-phrase committee-id="SSGA00" reported-display-style="italic">101.</added-phrase></enum><header>Certain
diseases presumed to be work-related cause of disability or death for Federal
employees in fire protection activities</header>
<subsection id="H5C61215A2DB2462281A771F247736800"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Definition</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 8101 of title 5, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block changed="not-changed" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id51FDCD38F49D4F4B9114300195B700C6" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="id82E80550897344FBA874D6B8A5E402C0"><enum>(21)</enum><text><term>employee
in fire protection activities</term> means a firefighter, paramedic, emergency
medical technician, rescue worker, ambulance personnel, or hazardous material
worker, who—</text>
<subparagraph id="idE7D8F331A4F0476BB0AEDD7962C71D0C"><enum>(A)</enum><text>is trained in
fire suppression;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idBB584F4F6FAA4B7EAE49206DBFA5CBE6"><enum>(B)</enum><text>has the legal
authority and responsibility to engage in fire suppression;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id931FF7E8C90541D397831863A8B218FE"><enum>(C)</enum><text>is engaged in the
prevention, control, and extinguishment of fires or response to emergency
situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id08FD19D431CE40C995BF5FF5D494CF5D"><enum>(D)</enum><text>performs such
activities as a primary responsibility of his or her
job.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="H5728B78BB4284A5490761DC1DD3500FB"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Presumption
relating to employees in fire protection activities</header><text>Section 8102
of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following
new subsection:</text>
<quoted-block changed="not-changed" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H9B281862F92748739B7616864CA79261" style="USC">
<subsection id="H55FB5C2445DE4315A800A853365913DD"><enum>(c)</enum><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H08A49738CF7948B39FA53E09C0B49590"><enum>(1)</enum><text>With regard to an
employee in fire protection activities, a disease specified in paragraph (2)
shall be presumed to be proximately caused by the employment of such employee,
subject to the length of service requirements specified. The disability or
death of an employee in fire protection activities due to such a disease shall
be presumed to result from personal injury sustained while in the performance
of such employee’s duty. Such presumptions may be rebutted by a preponderance
of the evidence.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H62D3B12EEAAB48BA950155C001F5DC27" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The following diseases shall be
presumed to be proximately caused by the employment of the employee:</text>
<subparagraph id="H2D6A8AEE7D004CAF9CA1002704721EC7"><enum>(A)</enum><text>If the employee has been employed for
a minimum of 5 years:</text>
<clause id="H0D09921EAA6C450AA6F392618733B866"><enum>(i)</enum><text>Heart disease.</text>
</clause><clause id="HB7E7E5917A654509A34B814C4BBEEBEC"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>Lung disease.</text>
</clause><clause id="H7322FB7825BF45019636EE719B73676C"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>The following cancers:</text>
<subclause id="HA5D089007DC84BB8ADD2E5883EFF6FB4"><enum>(I)</enum><text>Brain cancer.</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HF62577C42E594434BDDFB236057622C"><enum>(II)</enum><text>Cancer of the blood or lymphatic
systems.</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H0D702D8701E642B789976FE4658E4E8E"><enum>(III)</enum><text>Leukemia.</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H34AE94CBEC8944EEBC12F975227DAC46"><enum>(IV)</enum><text>Lymphoma (except Hodgkin’s
disease).</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H9A036B750E9141F0BA748825769EB159"><enum>(V)</enum><text>Multiple myeloma.</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H72013193DE524063B5FA0209B000AD21"><enum>(VI)</enum><text>Bladder cancer.</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HDA9C1EC0312D40839DA78CEB4960DF55"><enum>(VII)</enum><text>Kidney cancer.</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H89B97B5B297940ADB376A0895DC57C00"><enum>(VIII)</enum><text>Testicular cancer.</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HA0736A6C1F9548A4AED38E5912A0ACC5"><enum>(IX)</enum><text>Cancer of the digestive system.</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H75092190111A4E5691139222AABFCA7D"><enum>(X)</enum><text>Colon cancer.</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H59B83AC21F2548F1965600C30069AB5C"><enum>(XI)</enum><text>Liver cancer.</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HF02E4A5C518F4AF3BE73C0877CB410EF"><enum>(XII)</enum><text>Skin cancer.</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HDF59065722984B9EA1F64C00083E1CD2"><enum>(XIII)</enum><text>Lung cancer.</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="HEBAB574AC8134B74BE684101B0DA31A5"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>Any other cancer the contraction
of which the Secretary of Labor determines to be related to the hazards to
which an employee in fire protection activities may be subject.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H77D9EA8DC26246EAAA0143A625E5B700"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Regardless of the length of time an
employee has been employed, any uncommon infectious disease, including
tuberculosis, hepatitis A, B, or C, and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV),
the contraction of which the Secretary of Labor determines to be related to the
hazards to which an employee in fire protection activities may be
subject.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="idCA84993305B9418CAB3760CE62979A93"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not
later than 10 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the National
Institute of Occupational Safety and Health in the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention shall examine the implementation of this
<deleted-phrase committee-id="SSGA00" reported-display-style="strikethrough">Act</deleted-phrase><added-phrase committee-id="SSGA00" reported-display-style="italic">title</added-phrase> and
appropriate scientific and medical data related to the health risks associated
with firefighting and submit to Congress a report which shall include—</text>
<paragraph id="id1A1EC48768EA4E988F3F539D2187E246"><enum>(1)</enum><text>an analysis of
the injury claims made under this
<deleted-phrase committee-id="SSGA00" reported-display-style="strikethrough">Act</deleted-phrase><added-phrase committee-id="SSGA00" reported-display-style="italic">title</added-phrase>;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id3F6AC43871884D24A9B8249475676CDB"><enum>(2)</enum><text>an analysis of
the available research related to the health risks associated with
firefighting; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id7A295A682CFA499EAA7A38B453073167"><enum>(3)</enum><text>recommendations
for any administrative or legislative actions necessary to ensure that those
diseases most associated with firefighting are included in the presumption
created by this
<deleted-phrase committee-id="SSGA00" reported-display-style="strikethrough">Act</deleted-phrase><added-phrase committee-id="SSGA00" reported-display-style="italic">title</added-phrase>.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H431C10F3B7D0473BBCC137B08ECBAFF8"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Effective
Date</header><text>The amendment made by this section applies to an injury that
is first diagnosed, or a death that occurs, on or after the date of enactment
of this Act.</text>
</subsection></section><enum>II</enum><header>Notifications of
Possible Exposure to Infectious Diseases</header>
<section id="id121BA2824F794869AD0DBE2067B16B5F"><enum>201.</enum><header>Infectious diseases
and circumstances relevant to notification requirements</header>
<subsection id="IDb04866e54e77461bb4d11c3fdbf66193"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
General</header><text>Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this
title as the <quote>Secretary</quote>) shall complete the development
of—</text>
<paragraph id="ID15c722b0840f46c5b99307ffc4832882"><enum>(1)</enum><text>a list of potentially
life-threatening infectious diseases to which emergency response employees may
be exposed in responding to emergencies;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID09692dbb42fe4f8eac707a2122d16ceb"><enum>(2)</enum><text>guidelines describing the
circumstances in which such employees may be exposed to such diseases, taking
into account the conditions under which emergency response is provided;
and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="IDc00e94dea95845ed91777a6188351591"><enum>(3)</enum><text>guidelines describing the
manner in which medical facilities should make determinations for purposes of
section 203(d).</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ID4a00d95f9cd44820aaffc9ac490afa64"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Specification of
airborne infectious diseases</header><text>The list developed by the Secretary
under subsection (a)(1) shall include a specification of those infectious
diseases on the list that are routinely transmitted through airborne or
aerosolized means.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="ID296ba7327da5464e861657efbbdda36e"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Dissemination</header><text>The
Secretary shall—</text>
<paragraph id="IDc14d80589c68433da1d1015c6f00d818"><enum>(1)</enum><text>transmit to State public
health officers copies of the list and guidelines developed by the Secretary
under subsection (a) with the request that the officers disseminate such copies
as appropriate throughout the States; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID23d188b2cbf845128304e5524e26ed1d"><enum>(2)</enum><text>make such copies
available to the public.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="ID771b801ef91a4e479dab6f41d0b57b6c"><enum>202.</enum><header>Routine notifications
with respect to airborne infectious diseases in victims assisted</header>
<subsection id="ID14efa14deb574227ba8f3f2ccb16451e"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Routine notification of
designated officer</header>
<paragraph id="ID4f8a2a0df62a49f8b0353652b24dbf88"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Determination by
treating facility</header><text>If a victim of an emergency is transported by
emergency response employees to a medical facility and the medical facility
makes a determination that the victim has an airborne infectious disease, the
medical facility shall notify the designated officer of the emergency response
employees who transported the victim to the medical facility of the
determination.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID54c1a1a8718d4bdbb21444b366de54d2"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Determination by
facility ascertaining cause of death</header><text>If a victim of an emergency
is transported by emergency response employees to a medical facility and the
victim dies at or before reaching the medical facility, the medical facility
ascertaining the cause of death shall notify the designated officer of the
emergency response employees who transported the victim to the initial medical
facility of any determination by the medical facility that the victim had an
airborne infectious disease.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ID736581c85f9a42bb82e98521910189ff"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Requirement of prompt
notification</header><text>With respect to a determination described in
paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a), the notification required in each of
such paragraphs shall be made as soon as is practicable, but not later than 48
hours after the determination is made.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="ID72f13467e7004a179e9ee7d984d293c3"><enum>203.</enum><header>Request for
notifications with respect to victims assisted</header>
<subsection id="ID581adec8c5ed4c45b6a73e4b228fc3b8"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Initiation of process
by employee</header><text>If an emergency response employee believes that the
employee may have been exposed to an infectious disease by a victim of an
emergency who was transported to a medical facility as a result of the
emergency, and if the employee attended, treated, assisted, or transported the
victim pursuant to the emergency, then the designated officer of the employee
shall, upon the request of the employee, carry out the duties described in
subsection (b) regarding a determination of whether the employee may have been
exposed to an infectious disease by the victim.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="ID8d662b35bf4e4b638e18e3b478b0db25"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Initial determination
by designated officer</header><text>The duties referred to in subsection (a)
are that—</text>
<paragraph id="ID01cc13e176c249c5822f4d4ec925ea8a"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the designated officer
involved collect the facts relating to the circumstances under which, for
purposes of subsection (a), the employee involved may have been exposed to an
infectious disease; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="IDd5251576726c47f68c5780c4ded6b000"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the designated officer
evaluate such facts and make a determination of whether, if the victim involved
had any infectious disease included on the list issued under paragraph (1) of
section 201(a), the employee would have been exposed to the disease under such
facts, as indicated by the guidelines issued under paragraph (2) of such
section.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="IDca114a8c860843de92a988b50f94d235"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Submission of request
to a medical facility</header>
<paragraph id="id14F343B8D986488CA91C747842E4996F"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>If a designated officer makes a determination under
subsection (b)(2) that an emergency response employee may have been exposed to
an infectious disease, the designated officer shall submit to the medical
facility to which the victim involved was transported a request for a response
under subsection (d) regarding the victim of the emergency involved.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="IDa9836ab5c704487e810201f293f4000e"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Form of
request</header><text>A request under paragraph (1) shall be in writing and be
signed by the designated officer involved, and shall contain a statement of the
facts collected pursuant to subsection (b)(1).</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ID9a4052c7b7ef4fc489ac42c92c4fd1e5"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Evaluation and response
regarding request to medical facility</header>
<paragraph id="ID07dcb0230bde4d1fbe08de7c1b602faa"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>If a medical facility receives a request under subsection
(c), the medical facility shall evaluate the facts submitted in the request and
make a determination of whether, on the basis of the medical information
possessed by the facility regarding the victim involved, the emergency response
employee was exposed to an infectious disease included on the list issued under
paragraph (1) of section 201(a), as indicated by the guidelines issued under
paragraph (2) of such section.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="IDcb89009b3016440f8e3245f185318514"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Notification of
exposure</header><text>If a medical facility makes a determination under
paragraph (1) that the emergency response employee involved has been exposed to
an infectious disease, the medical facility shall, in writing, notify the
designated officer who submitted the request under subsection (c) of the
determination.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID70a935b91dc3466d98ecd72eee959fdf"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Finding of no
exposure</header><text>If a medical facility makes a determination under
paragraph (1) that the emergency response employee involved has not been
exposed to an infectious disease, the medical facility shall, in writing,
inform the designated officer who submitted the request under subsection (c) of
the determination.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="IDdf5f598f25cd4d3b96519f3a7a7900cd"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Insufficient
information</header>
<subparagraph id="IDc94c61c5dac7479fa33ac9e46fe424ba"><enum>(A)</enum><text>If a medical facility
finds in evaluating facts for purposes of paragraph (1) that the facts are
insufficient to make the determination described in such paragraph, the medical
facility shall, in writing, inform the designated officer who submitted the
request under subsection (c) of the insufficiency of the facts.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID4ddf309312d0419a840853e41402a83c"><enum>(B)</enum><clause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="id22C60659B046454A98E6230CC158552B"><enum>(i)</enum><text>If a medical facility
finds in making a determination under paragraph (1) that the facility possesses
no information on whether the victim involved has an infectious disease
included on the list under section 201(a), the medical facility shall, in
writing, inform the designated officer who submitted the request under
subsection (c) of the insufficiency of such medical information.</text>
</clause><clause changed="added" committee-id="SSGA00" id="IDae4a8e41f65640be81072ad9e8054b68" indent="up1" reported-display-style="italic"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>If after making a
response under clause (i) a medical facility determines that the victim
involved has an infectious disease, the medical facility shall make the
determination described in paragraph (1) and provide the applicable response
specified in this subsection.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="IDe3fec39d50e14eac99fc3333b8c74b5f"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Time for making
response</header><text>After receiving a request under subsection (c)
(including any such request resubmitted under subsection (g)(2)), a medical
facility shall make the applicable response specified in subsection (d) as soon
as is practicable, but not later than 48 hours after receiving the
request.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="ID69ccb9c5144542319d8d3dee3cb7ec71"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Death of victim of
emergency</header>
<paragraph id="id00369816BC6D43F8BF7F89E7A4E3448E"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Facility ascertaining
cause of death</header><text>If a victim described in subsection (a) dies at or
before reaching the medical facility involved, and the medical facility
receives a request under subsection (c), the medical facility shall provide a
copy of the request to the medical facility ascertaining the cause of death of
the victim, if such facility is a different medical facility than the facility
that received the original request.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID8982f530d7c14aa4a56aa0347b71f527"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Responsibility of
facility</header><text>Upon the receipt of a copy of a request for purposes of
paragraph (1), the duties otherwise established in this title regarding medical
facilities shall apply to the medical facility ascertaining the cause of death
of the victim in the same manner and to the same extent as such duties apply to
the medical facility originally receiving the request.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ID4671429bc58e4549a42db1664ca2ed7e"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Assistance of public
health officer</header>
<paragraph id="ID428789ac0036495788a210833811cc69"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Evaluation of response
of medical facility regarding insufficient facts</header>
<subparagraph id="IDe377e013de404fe59a5ce079aacaa5dd"><enum>(A)</enum><text>In the case of a request
under subsection (c) to which a medical facility has made the response
specified in subsection (d)(4)(A) regarding the insufficiency of facts, the
public health officer for the community in which the medical facility is
located shall evaluate the request and the response, if the designated officer
involved submits such documents to the officer with the request that the
officer make such an evaluation.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="IDed43d8906e7641e1961434ff75d132df"><enum>(B)</enum><text>As soon as is practicable
after a public health officer receives a request under paragraph (1), but not
later than 48 hours after receipt of the request, the public health officer
shall complete the evaluation required in such paragraph and inform the
designated officer of the results of the evaluation.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="IDb8583b14c21e41ef989d986eb4d1aaef"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Findings of
evaluation</header>
<subparagraph id="ID005d45cb99fc4f0882317f65975472d4"><enum>(A)</enum><text>If an evaluation under
paragraph (1)(A) indicates that the facts provided to the medical facility
pursuant to subsection (c) were sufficient for purposes of determinations under
subsection (d)(1)—</text>
<clause id="IDbeda5763d57d42dd867c11f558fd3b5d"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the public health officer
shall, on behalf of the designated officer involved, resubmit the request to
the medical facility; and</text>
</clause><clause id="ID2f5fd675a77940b59024246596585626"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the medical facility
shall provide to the designated officer the applicable response specified in
subsection (d).</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID3e365ade98d3404aa37a2d2ffea3e458"><enum>(B)</enum><text>If an evaluation under
paragraph (1)(A) indicates that the facts provided in the request to the
medical facility were insufficient for purposes of determinations specified in
subsection (c)—</text>
<clause id="ID7a02995c87e14a228232f562c8a7ee0a"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the public health officer
shall provide advice to the designated officer regarding the collection and
description of appropriate facts; and</text>
</clause><clause id="ID6e3b62a5f3884ae5b53135a090090dd8"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>if sufficient facts are
obtained by the designated officer—</text>
<subclause id="ID4442b5c1cb694290ae7d3296be1a8172"><enum>(I)</enum><text>the public health officer
shall, on behalf of the designated officer involved, resubmit the request to
the medical facility; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="ID6f19d83ebd4e4d33ab2f7b2619beb288"><enum>(II)</enum><text>the medical facility
shall provide to the designated officer the appropriate response under
subsection (c).</text>
</subclause></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="ID0bf921be1baf4fc9bd1c6647ffaef5ec"><enum>204.</enum><header>Procedures for
notification of exposure</header>
<subsection id="IDbd29303886524ad395da479bbe2e5d5d"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Contents of
notification to officer</header><text>In making a notification required under
section 202 or 203(d)(2), a medical facility shall provide—</text>
<paragraph id="ID4a8ff644ff9d42e5b464690a4a4e03fc"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the name of the
infectious disease involved; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID32aa951c69674599a90b7c2d40b508b7"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the date on which the
victim of the emergency involved was transported by emergency response
employees to the medical facility involved.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="IDf7a55aaa4d6940c3a3f780f124a8a8b2"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Manner of
notification</header><text>If a notification under section 202 or 203(d)(2) is
mailed or otherwise indirectly made—</text>
<paragraph id="ID848766823e5f46938baf9ae6947518ed"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the medical facility
sending the notification shall, upon sending the notification, inform the
designated officer to whom the notification is sent of the fact that the
notification has been sent; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID6f73c21ede874083a75aba4a47237c05"><enum>(2)</enum><text>such designated officer
shall, not later than 10 days after being informed by the medical facility that
the notification has been sent, inform such medical facility whether the
designated officer has received the notification.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="ID033345202bae42d0a9b277cd165cd3a8"><enum>205.</enum><header>Notification of
employee</header>
<subsection id="IDa3a90a41898c4c92800a745e56c0a6be"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>After receiving a notification for purposes of section
202 or 203(d)(2), a designated officer of emergency response employees shall,
to the extent practicable, immediately notify each of such employees
who—</text>
<paragraph id="ID3bb445d751794a5597a6f14ea3c34508"><enum>(1)</enum><text>responded to the
emergency involved; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID767f5df71eeb4613acc699c598f741b4"><enum>(2)</enum><text>as indicated by
guidelines developed by the Secretary, may have been exposed to an infectious
disease.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="IDc3ceb7eda7164e0b8d030b256ed87942"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Certain contents of
notification to employee</header><text>A notification under this subsection to
an emergency response employee shall inform the employee of—</text>
<paragraph id="IDd28ac1e6fe84400db2b2ef07090e9645"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the fact that the
employee may have been exposed to an infectious disease and the name of the
disease involved;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID0ab1caf4d10b4574a46ac6f27c809785"><enum>(2)</enum><text>any action by the
employee that, as indicated by guidelines developed by the Secretary, is
medically appropriate; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID6d5ac018d1324140b6e0dc7bd7e01040"><enum>(3)</enum><text>if medically appropriate
under such criteria, the date of such emergency.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ID84e7d93db02a4d6b9dd9929565653c1a"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Responses other than
notification of exposure</header><text>After receiving a response under
paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection (d) of section 203, or a response under
subsection (g)(1) of such section, the designated officer for the employee
shall, to the extent practicable, immediately inform the employee of the
response.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="ID327d1bf230184f3ea85afdac23548416"><enum>206.</enum><header>Selection of
designated officers</header>
<subsection id="ID8b0162414a954b92b2996be844bb7a29"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>For the purposes of receiving notifications and responses
and making requests under this title on behalf of emergency response employees,
the public health officer of each State shall designate 1 official or officer
of each employer of emergency response employees in the State.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="ID447bc68e77994a3fb3488d7e72a6cceb"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Preference in making
designations</header><text>In making the designations required in subsection
(a), a public health officer shall give preference to individuals who are
trained in the provision of health care or in the control of infectious
diseases.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="ID79d62e5bf8ee493fa603fc03c5cb07c7"><enum>207.</enum><header>Limitations with
respect to duties of medical facilities</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The duties established in this title for a
medical facility—</text>
<paragraph id="ID279b28e686734a91b896353c856e25a8"><enum>(1)</enum><text>shall apply only to
medical information possessed by the facility during the period in which the
facility is treating the victim for conditions arising from the emergency, or
during the 60-day period beginning on the date on which the victim is
transported by emergency response employees to the facility, whichever period
expires first; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="ID83cf7bd2d64c48328cf111e6aece30db"><enum>(2)</enum><text>shall not apply to any
extent after the expiration of the 30-day period beginning on the expiration of
the applicable period referred to in paragraph (1), except that such duties
shall apply with respect to any request under section 203(c) received by a
medical facility before the expiration of such 30-day period.</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="ID388484dd3c1c41789c015ff78dcd7b8f"><enum>208.</enum><header>Rules of
construction</header>
<subsection id="ID0e0a31af77a34c4f83b9fd3de16984bb"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Liability of medical
facilities and designated officers</header><text>This title may not be
construed to authorize any cause of action for damages or any civil penalty
against any medical facility, or any designated officer, for failure to comply
with the duties established in this title.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="ID5912fdb49f4e45d38a1df5086c142035"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Testing</header><text>This
title may not, with respect to victims of emergencies, be construed to
authorize or require a medical facility to test any such victim for any
infectious disease.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="IDd555c194ae7d439887dd8ba08b42dbf4"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Confidentiality</header><text>This
title may not be construed to authorize or require any medical facility, any
designated officer of emergency response employees, or any such employee, to
disclose identifying information with respect to a victim of an emergency or
with respect to an emergency response employee.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="ID345151ed574f4a5496646c72acea5ab6"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Failure to provide
emergency services</header><text>This title may not be construed to authorize
any emergency response employee to fail to respond, or to deny services, to any
victim of an emergency.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="ID1e7fbfe41514499c98f5bc09c9eccd63"><enum>209.</enum><header>Injunctions regarding
violation of prohibition</header>
<subsection id="ID93e5e30bfed74845acabf446834bacb8"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The Secretary may, in any court of competent
jurisdiction, commence a civil action for the purpose of obtaining temporary or
permanent injunctive relief with respect to any violation of this title.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="ID19386529682b43e8b87ca65f3f6fec4f"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Facilitation of
information on violations</header><text>The Secretary shall establish an
administrative process for encouraging emergency response employees to provide
information to the Secretary regarding violations of this title. As
appropriate, the Secretary shall investigate alleged such violations and seek
appropriate injunctive relief.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="IDfdb354b305dc425199e58e0bd04e0f20"><enum>210.</enum><header>Applicability of
title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This title shall not
apply in a State if the chief executive officer of the State certifies to the
Secretary that the law of the State is in substantial compliance with this
title.</text>
</section>
September 14, 2009
Reported with amendments