The State Department of Public Health or a city, county, or a city and county with or without a health department, that acts to authorize a clean needle and syringe exchange project pursuant to this chapter shall, in consultation with the State Department of Public Health, authorize the exchange of clean hypodermic needles and syringes, as recommended by the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, subject to the availability of funding, as part of a network of comprehensive services, including treatment services, to combat the spread of HIV and bloodborne hepatitis infection among injection drug users. Staff and volunteers participating in an exchange project authorized by the state, county, city, or city and county pursuant to this chapter shall not be subject to criminal prosecution for violation of any law related to the possession, furnishing, or transfer of hypodermic needles or syringes or any materials deemed by a local or state health department to be necessary to prevent the spread of communicable diseases, or to prevent drug overdose, injury, or disability during participation in an exchange project. Program participants shall not be subject to criminal prosecution for possession of needles or syringes or any materials deemed by a local or state health department to be necessary to prevent the spread of communicable diseases, or to prevent drug overdose, injury, or disability acquired from an authorized needle and syringe exchange project entity.
(Amended (as amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 744, Sec. 2) by Stats. 2018, Ch. 34, Sec. 15. (AB 1810) Effective June 27, 2018.)