A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 44-31-40 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE PROCEDURE FOR THE TUBERCULOSIS TESTING OF APPLICANT RESIDENTS AND NEWLY-ADMITTED RESIDENTS OF NURSING HOMES IN THIS STATE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1.   Article 1, Chapter 31, Title 44 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

   Section 44-31-40.   (A) A nursing home as defined in Section 44-7-130 shall:

      (1) prior to the admission of a new resident, request and receive a written declaration from an authorized healthcare provider that, based upon medical examination of the applicant resident, the applicant resident has no signs or symptoms of active tuberculosis;

      (2) within three days of a resident's admission to the nursing home from a hospital, as defined in Section 44-7-130, administer the first step of the two-step tuberculin skin test to the resident; and

      (3) within fourteen days of that resident's admission, administer the second step of the tuberculin skin test to the resident.

   (B)(1) The nursing home may substitute a single blood assay for mycobacterium tuberculosis for a two-step tuberculin skin test; or

      (2) administer a single tuberculin skin test or single blood assay for mycobacterium tuberculosis within fourteen days of the resident's admission from a hospital if the nursing home has documentation that within the twelve-month period prior to admission, the resident obtained a negative tuberculin skin test or a negative single blood assay for mycobacterium tuberculosis.

SECTION 2.   This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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