GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1995

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 1018

Short Title:  Fees for Prisoner Medical Care.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Representatives Wilkins and Mercer.

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Referred to:  Finance.

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May 4, 1995

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS OPERATING LOCAL CONFINEMENT FACILITIES TO CHARGE FEES FOR NONEMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE PROVIDED TO PRISONERS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 153A-225(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	Each unit that operates a local confinement facility shall develop a plan for providing medical care for prisoners in the facility.  The plan
(1)	Shall be designed to protect the health and welfare of the prisoners and to avoid the spread of contagious disease;
(2)	Shall provide for medical supervision of prisoners and emergency medical care for prisoners to the extent necessary for their health and welfare;
(3)	Shall provide for the detection, examination and treatment of prisoners who are infected with tuberculosis or venereal diseases.
The unit shall develop the plan in consultation with appropriate local officials and organizations, including the sheriff, the county physician, the local or district health director, and the local medical society.  The plan must be approved by the local or district health director after consultation with the area mental health, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse authority, if it is adequate to protect the health and welfare of the prisoners.  Upon a determination that the plan is adequate to protect the health and welfare of the prisoners, the plan must be adopted by the governing body.
As a part of its plan, each unit may establish fees for the provision of nonemergency medical care to prisoners.  In establishing fees pursuant to this section, each unit shall establish a procedure for waiving fees for indigent prisoners."
Sec. 2.  This act is effective upon ratification.