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2012 SESSION

12100187D
HOUSE BILL NO. 83
Offered January 11, 2012
Prefiled December 21, 2011
A BILL to amend and reenact § 32.1-229 of the Code of Virginia, relating to mammogram reports.
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Patrons-- Orrock, Albo, BaCote, Bell, Robert B., Brink, Carr, Comstock, Cosgrove, Cox, M.K., Crockett-Stark, Dance, Edmunds, Fariss, Farrell, Filler-Corn, Greason, Head, Helsel, Herring, Hodges, Hope, Howell, W.J., Hugo, Iaquinto, Ingram, James, Johnson, Jones, Keam, Kilgore, LeMunyon, Lingamfelter, Loupassi, Marshall, R.G., Massie, May, McQuinn, Merricks, Miller, Minchew, Morris, Morrissey, Plum, Pogge, Purkey, Ransone, Robinson, Rust, Scott, E.T., Sickles, Stolle, Tata, Tyler, Villanueva, Ward, Watson, Watts, Webert, Wilt, Wright and Yancey
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Referred to Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 32.1-229 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 32.1-229. Powers and duties of the Board.

The Board shall:

1. Establish a program of effective regulation of sources of radiation for the protection of the public health and safety, including a program of education and technical assistance relating to radon that is targeted to those areas of the Commonwealth known to have high radon levels.

2. Establish a program to promote the orderly regulation of radiation within the Commonwealth, among the states and between the federal government and the Commonwealth and to facilitate intergovernmental cooperation with respect to use and regulation of sources of radiation to the end that duplication of regulation may be minimized.

3. Establish a program to permit maximum utilization of sources of radiation consistent with the public health and safety.

4. Promulgate regulations providing for (i) general or specific licenses to use, manufacture, produce, transfer, receive, acquire, own or possess quantities of, or devices or equipment utilizing, by-product, source, special nuclear materials, or other radioactive material occurring naturally or produced artificially, (ii) registration of the possession of a source of radiation and of information with respect thereto, and (iii) regulation of by-product, source and special nuclear material.

5. Encourage, participate in and conduct studies, investigations, training, research and demonstrations relating to control of sources of radiation.

6. Establish fee schedules for the licensure of radioactive materials.

7. Establish guidelines to require the licensed facilities or physicians' offices where mammography services are performed to offer to the patient, prior to departure, development of such films to ensure integrity and quality of the film. When film developing is not available or the patient chooses not to wait, the patient shall be notified within two business days if another mammogram is necessary. This requirement does not imply or require that a diagnostic opinion be made at the time of the mammogram. The interpreting physician may require that the mammogram be retaken if, in the opinion of the physician, the study is of inadequate quality. The guidelines shall also require all mammogram reports to include information on breast density. Such information shall inform patients with dense breast tissue, as determined by the physician, that supplementary screening tests may be beneficial, depending on individual risk factors.

8. Issue such orders or modifications thereof as may be necessary in connection with proceedings under this title.