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Enrolled Version - Final Version House Bill 4515 History

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Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted
ENROLLED

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

FOR


H. B. 4515

(By Delegates Webster, Long, Mahan, Brown,

Hrutkay, Staggers, Varner and Guthrie)


[Passed March 8, 2008; in effect ninety days from passage.]


AN ACT to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §17B-3-13, relating to reports by health care providers of persons incompetent to drive an automobile.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §17B-3-13, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 3. CANCELLATION, SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF LICENSES.
§17B-3-13. Reports by health care providers.
(a) Health care providers licensed and authorized pursuant to chapter thirty of the code to diagnose or treat diseases, disorders, disabilities or conditions, may notify the division in writing of the full name, date of birth and address of every person fifteen years of age or older who suffers from a physical or mental disease, disorder, disability, condition or symptoms that prevents the person from safely operating motor vehicle, and which is either:
(1) Uncontrollable (either through medication, therapy, or surgery; or by driving device or technique)
(2) Controllable, but the patient does not comply with the recommendations of the health care provider for treatment or restricted driving; or
(3) Undiagnosed but the extent of driver impairment is potentially significant based on the patient's symptoms.
(b) Reports, recommendations or opinions, findings or advice received or made by the division for the purpose of determining whether a person is qualified to be licensed to drive are for the confidential use of the division and exempt from provisions of article one, chapter twenty-nine-b of this code and may only be admitted in proceedings to either suspend, revoke or impose limitations on the use of a driver's license pursuant to section six, subsection (a)(5),article three, chapter seventeen-b of this code or section seven, article three, chapter seventeen-b of this code, or to reinstate the driver's license.
(c) Reports, recommendations, opinions, findings or advice received or made by the division for the purpose of determining whether a person is qualified to be licensed to drive may not be used in any proceedings to establish or prove competencies other than qualifications to operate a vehicle.
(d) A health care provider who makes a notification pursuant to subsection (a) shall be immune from any civil, administrative or criminal liability that otherwise might be incurred or imposed because of such notification if the health care provider has:
(1) Documented in the patient's record the disease, disorder, disability, condition or symptoms which may impair the patient's ability to drive a motor vehicle to a degree that precludes the safe operation of a motor vehicle;
(2) Informed the patient that their disease, disorder, disability, condition or symptoms may impair the patient's ability to drive a motor vehicle to a degree that precludes the safe operation of a motor vehicle;
(3) Advised the patient that he or she should not operate a motor vehicle; and
(4) Disclosed to the patient that the health care provider may notify the Commissioner of the patient's condition and of the patient's inability to safely operate a motor vehicle.
(e) Compliance with or failure to comply with the requirements of this section does not constitute negligence, nor may compliance or noncompliance with the requirements of this section be admissible as evidence of negligence in any civil or criminal action.
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