Bipartisan needlestick bill introduced in Congress
November 1, 2000 less than 1 minute read
Bipartisan needlestick bill introduced in Congress
In a move that significantly boosts the chances of national needle safety legislation, Reps. Cass Ballenger (R-NC) and Major Owens (D-NY) introduced the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act (HR 5178). They are the chair and ranking member, respectively, of the Worker Protections Sub-committee of the Education and the Workforce Committee. The subcommittee passed the bill unanimously, and it was expected to move swiftly to the full committee and the floor of the House of Representatives. It has the strong backing of unions that represent health care workers, as well as the American Hospital Association. A bipartisan companion bill was introduced in the Senate.
The bill mirrors the California needlestick prevention law, as it requires hospitals to use safety devices, involve frontline health care workers in their selection, and document injuries on a needlestick log.
Meanwhile, Massachusetts adopted a needlestick prevention law, bringing to 16 the number of states with laws targeting needle safety.
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