(a) To ensure knowledge of current trends in the HIV epidemic and to ensure that California remains competitive for federal HIV and AIDS funding, health care providers and laboratories shall report cases of HIV infection to the local health officer using patient names on a form developed by the department. Both the local health officer and the department shall be authorized to access reports of HIV infection that are electronically submitted by laboratories pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 120130. Local health officers shall report unduplicated HIV cases by name to the department on a form developed by the department.
(b) (1) Health care providers and local health officers shall submit cases of HIV infection pursuant to subdivision (a) by courier service, United States Postal Service express mail or registered mail, other traceable mail, person-to-person transfer, facsimile, or electronically by a secure and confidential electronic reporting system established by the department.
(2) This subdivision shall be implemented using the existing resources of the department.
(c) The department and local health officers shall ensure continued reasonable access to anonymous HIV testing through alternative testing sites, as established by Section 120890, and in consultation with HIV planning groups and affected stakeholders, including representatives of persons living with HIV and health officers.
(d) The department shall promulgate emergency regulations to conform the relevant provisions of Article 3.5 (commencing with Section 2641.5) of Subchapter 1 of Chapter 4 of Division 1 of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations, consistent with this chapter, by April 17, 2007. Notwithstanding the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), if the department revises the form used for reporting pursuant to subdivision (a) after consideration of the reporting guidelines published by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the revised form shall be implemented without being adopted as a regulation, and shall be filed with the Secretary of State and printed in Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations.
(e) Pursuant to Section 121025, reported cases of HIV infection shall not be disclosed, discoverable, or compelled to be produced in any civil, criminal, administrative, or other proceeding.
(f) State and local health department employees and contractors shall be required to sign confidentiality agreements developed by the department that include information related to the penalties for a breach of confidentiality and the procedures for reporting a breach of confidentiality, prior to accessing confidential HIV-related public health records. Those agreements shall be reviewed annually by either the department or the appropriate local health department.
(g) A person shall not disclose identifying information reported pursuant to subdivision (a) to the federal government, including, but not limited to, any agency, employee, agent, contractor, or anyone else acting on behalf of the federal government, except as permitted under subdivision (b) of Section 121025.
(h) (1) Any potential or actual breach of confidentiality of HIV-related public health records shall be investigated by the local health officer, in coordination with the department, when appropriate. The local health officer shall immediately report any evidence of an actual breach of confidentiality of HIV-related public health records at a city or county level to the department and the appropriate law enforcement agency.
(2) The department shall investigate any potential or actual breach of confidentiality of HIV-related public health records at the state level, and shall report any evidence of such a breach of confidentiality to an appropriate law enforcement agency.
(i) Any willful, negligent, or malicious disclosure of cases of HIV infection reported pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be subject to the penalties prescribed in Section 121025.
(j) This section does not limit other remedies and protections available under state or federal law.
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 71, Sec. 92. (SB 1304) Effective January 1, 2015.)