Hepatitis and HIV testing for persons charged with or alleged by petition for delinquency to have committed certain offenses; disclosure of results to victims.

F.S. 960.003
in effect
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(1) LEGISLATIVE INTENT. — The Legislature finds that a victim of a criminal offense which involves the transmission of body fluids, or which involves certain sexual offenses in which the victim is a minor, disabled adult, or elderly person, is entitled to know at the earliest possible opportunity whether the person charged with or alleged by petition for delinquency to have committed the offense has tested positive for hepatitis or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The Legislature finds that to deny victims access to hepatitis and HIV test results causes unnecessary mental anguish in persons who have already suffered trauma. The Legislature further finds that since medical science now recognizes that early diagnosis is a critical factor in the treatment of hepatitis and HIV infection, both the victim and the person charged with or alleged by petition for delinquency to have committed the offense benefit from prompt disclosure of hepatitis and HIV test results. (2) TESTING OF PERSON CHARGED WITH OR ALLEGED BY PETITION FOR DELINQUENCY TO HAVE COMMITTED CERTAIN OFFENSES. — (a) In any case in which a person has been charged by information or indictment with or alleged by petition for delinquency to have committed any offense enumerated in s. 775.0877(1)(a)-(n), which involves the transmission of body fluids from one person to another, upon request of the victim or the victim’s legal guardian, or of the parent or legal guardian of the victim if the victim is a minor, the court shall order such person to undergo hepatitis and HIV testing within 48 hours after the information, indictment, or petition for delinquency is filed. In the event the victim or, if the victim is a minor, the victim’s parent or legal guardian requests hepatitis and HIV testing after 48 hours have elapsed from the filing of the indictment, information, or petition for delinquency, the testing shall be done within 48 hours after the request. (b) However, when a victim of any sexual offense enumerated in s. 775.0877(1)(a)-(n) is under the age of 18 at the time the offense was committed or when a victim of any sexual offense enumerated in s. 775.0877(1)(a)-(n) or s. 825.1025 is a disabled adult or elderly person as defined in s. 825.1025 regardless of whether the offense involves the transmission of bodily fluids from one person to another, then upon the request of the victim or the victim’s legal guardian, or of the parent or legal guardian, the court shall order such person to undergo hepatitis and HIV testing within 48 hours after the information, indictment, or petition for delinquency is filed. In the event the victim or, if the victim is a minor, the victim’s parent or legal guardian requests hepatitis and HIV testing after 48 hours have elapsed from the filing of the indictment, information, or petition for delinquency, the testing shall be done within 48 hours after the request. The testing shall be performed under the direction of the Department of Health in accordance with s. 381.004. The results of a hepatitis and HIV test performed on a defendant or juvenile offender pursuant to this subsection shall not be admissible in any criminal or juvenile proceeding arising out of the alleged offense. (c) If medically appropriate, followup HIV testing shall be provided when testing has been ordered under paragraph (a) or paragraph (b). The medical propriety of followup HIV testing shall be based upon a determination by a physician and does not require an additional court order. Notification to the victim, or to the victim’s parent or legal guardian, and to the defendant of the results of each followup test shall be made as soon as practicable in accordance with this section. (3) DISCLOSURE OF RESULTS. — (a) The results of the test shall be disclosed no later than 2 weeks after the court receives such results, under the direction of the Department of Health, to the person charged with or alleged by petition for delinquency to have committed or to the person convicted of or adjudicated delinquent for any offense enumerated in s. 775.0877(1)(a)-(n), which involves the transmission of body fluids from one person to another, and, upon request, to the victim or the victim’s legal guardian, or the parent or legal guardian of the victim if the victim is a minor, and to public health agencies pursuant to s. 775.0877. If the alleged offender is a juvenile, the test results shall also be disclosed to the parent or guardian. When the victim is a victim as described in paragraph (2)(b), the test results must also be disclosed no later than 2 weeks after the court receives such results, to the person charged with or alleged by petition for delinquency to have committed or to the person convicted of or adjudicated delinquent for any offense enumerated in s. 775.0877(1)(a)-(n), or s. 825.1025 regardless of whether the offense involves the transmission of bodily fluids from one person to another, and, upon request, to the victim or the victim’s legal guardian, or the parent or legal guardian of the victim, and to public health agencies pursuant to s. 775.0877. Otherwise, hepatitis and HIV test results obtained pursuant to this section are confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution and shall not be disclosed to any other person except as expressly authorized by law or court order. (b) At the time that the results are disclosed to the victim or the victim’s legal guardian, or to the parent or legal guardian of a victim if the victim is a minor, the same immediate opportunity for face-to-face counseling which must be made available under s. 381.004 to those who undergo hepatitis and HIV testing shall also be afforded to the victim or the victim’s legal guardian, or to the parent or legal guardian of the victim if the victim is a minor. (4) POSTCONVICTION TESTING. — If, for any reason, the testing requested under subsection (2) has not been undertaken, then upon request of the victim or the victim’s legal guardian, or the parent or legal guardian of the victim if the victim is a minor, the court shall order the offender to undergo hepatitis and HIV testing following conviction or delinquency adjudication. The testing shall be performed under the direction of the Department of Health, and the results shall be disclosed in accordance with the provisions of subsection (3). (5) EXCEPTIONS. — Subsections (2) and (4) do not apply if: (a) The person charged with or convicted of or alleged by petition for delinquency to have committed or been adjudicated delinquent for an offense described in subsection (2) has undergone hepatitis and HIV testing voluntarily or pursuant to procedures established in s. 381.004(2)(h)6. or s. 951.27, or any other applicable law or rule providing for hepatitis and HIV testing of criminal defendants, inmates, or juvenile offenders, subsequent to his or her arrest, conviction, or delinquency adjudication for the offense for which he or she was charged or alleged by petition for delinquency to have committed; and (b) The results of such hepatitis and HIV testing have been furnished to the victim or the victim’s legal guardian, or the parent or legal guardian of the victim if the victim is a minor. (6) TESTING DURING INCARCERATION, DETENTION, OR PLACEMENT; DISCLOSURE. — In any case in which a person convicted of or adjudicated delinquent for an offense described in subsection (2) has not been tested under subsection (2), but undergoes hepatitis and HIV testing during his or her incarceration, detention, or placement, the results of the initial hepatitis and HIV testing shall be disclosed in accordance with subsection (3). Except as otherwise requested by the victim or the victim’s legal guardian, or the parent or guardian of the victim if the victim is a minor, if the initial test is conducted within the first year of the imprisonment, detention, or placement, the request for disclosure shall be considered a standing request for any subsequent hepatitis and HIV test results obtained within 1 year after the initial hepatitis and HIV tests are performed, and need not be repeated for each test administration. Where the inmate or juvenile offender has previously been tested pursuant to subsection (2) the request for disclosure under this subsection shall be considered a standing request for subsequent hepatitis and HIV results conducted within 1 year of the test performed pursuant to subsection (2). If the hepatitis and HIV testing is performed by an agency other than the Department of Health, that agency shall be responsible for forwarding the test results to the Department of Health for disclosure in accordance with the provisions of subsection (3). This subsection shall not be limited to results of hepatitis and HIV tests administered subsequent to June 27, 1990, but shall also apply to the results of all hepatitis and HIV tests performed on inmates convicted of or juvenile offenders adjudicated delinquent for sex offenses as described in subsection (2) during their incarceration, detention, or placement prior to June 27, 1990.
Source: FL Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/Chapter960/AllFetched: 7/8/2026

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