HB238 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

April WeaverSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

Public health, to require medical labs to submit certain clinical materials to Department of Public Health in certain cases of suspected disease, and to authorize the State Board of Health to set reasonable schedule of fees for services rendered under Chapter 11A of Title 22, Secs. 22-11A-4, 22-11A-40 am'd.

Summary

HB 238 would require medical laboratories to send certain clinical materials to the Department of Public Health when a disease is suspected and would let the State Board of Health set fees for Bureau of Clinical Laboratories services.

What This Bill Does

The bill requires laboratories to forward clinical materials (such as isolates or other materials) to the Department of Public Health for suspected diseases and requires providers to make relevant records available to the State Health Officer upon request. It authorizes the State Board of Health to establish a reasonable schedule of fees for services provided by the Bureau of Clinical Laboratories, with those fees deposited to the Board. It also sets requirements for board-approved tests for AIDS/notifiable diseases and establishes a proficiency testing program for laboratory personnel, potentially imposing penalties for unapproved testing methods. The act creates new fee authority (Section 22-11A-42) and states the effective date as the first day of the third month after passage.

Who It Affects

• Laboratories, physicians, hospitals, and other medical service providers: must forward clinical materials to the Department of Public Health for suspected/notifiable diseases and provide records to the State Health Officer upon request; may be subject to penalties for using tests not approved by the Board.
• State and local public health agencies and the Bureau of Clinical Laboratories: gain authority to collect materials, implement proficiency testing, oversee testing standards, and set and collect fees to fund public health functions under Chapter 11A.

Key Provisions

• Amends sections to require laboratories to forward clinical materials (including isolates or other materials) to the Department of Public Health when a suspected public health notifiable disease is involved.
• Defines 'clinical materials' and 'provider of medical services' and requires providers to make relevant records available to the State Health Officer upon request.
• Allows the State Board of Health to set a reasonable schedule of fees for services by the Bureau of Clinical Laboratories and to deposit collected fees to the Board to fund Chapter 11A.
• Adds Section 22-11A-42 authorizing the Board to set and collect fees for Bureau of Clinical Laboratories services; all fees go to the State Board of Health.
• Requires board-approved tests for AIDS/notifiable diseases and establishes a proficiency testing program for personnel conducting those tests; penalties for using unapproved testing methods.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Public Health Department