When the Oregon Health Authority declares by rule that mandatory testing of source persons could help a defined class of workers from being infected or infecting others with the human immunodeficiency virus, the following apply:

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

(1) When a source person, after having been first requested to consent to testing by rules adopted under ORS § 433.065, has refused or within a time period prescribed by rule of the authority has failed to submit to the requested test, except when the exposed person has knowledge that the exposed person has a history of a positive HIV test, the exposed person may seek mandatory testing of the source person by filing a petition with the circuit court for the county in which the exposure occurred. The form for the petition shall be as prescribed by the authority and shall be obtained from the local public health department or the Oregon Health Authority if there has been a transfer of responsibility under ORS § 431.382.

(2) The petition shall name the source person as the respondent and shall include a short and plain statement of facts alleging:

(a) The petitioner is a worker subjected to an occupational exposure or a person who has been subjected to a substantial exposure by a worker administering health care and the respondent is the source person;

(b) The petitioner is in the class of workers defined by rule of the authority under this section;

(c) All procedures for obtaining the respondent’s consent to an HIV test by rules adopted under ORS § 433.065 have been exhausted by the petitioner and the respondent has refused to consent to the test, or within the time period prescribed by rule of the authority has failed to submit to the test;

(d) The petitioner has no knowledge that the petitioner has a history of a positive HIV test and has since the exposure, within a time period prescribed by rule of the authority, submitted a specimen from the petitioner for an HIV test; and

(e) The injury that petitioner is suffering or will suffer if the source person is not ordered to submit to an HIV test.

(3) The petition shall be accompanied by the certificate of the local public health administrator or State Health Officer if there has been a transfer of responsibility under ORS § 431.382 declaring that, based upon information in the possession of the administrator, the facts stated in the allegations under subsection (2)(a), (b) and (c) of this section are true.

(4) Upon the filing of the petition, the court shall issue a citation to the respondent stating the nature of the proceedings, the statutes involved and the relief requested and, that if the respondent does not appear at the time and place for hearing stated in the citation, that the court will order the relief requested in the petition.

(5) The citation shall be served on the respondent together with a copy of the petition by the county sheriff or deputy. The person serving the citation and petition shall, immediately after service thereof, make a return showing the time, place and manner of such service and file it with the clerk of the court.

(6) The hearing shall be held within three days of the service of the citation upon the respondent. The court may for good cause allow an additional period of 48 hours if additional time is requested by the respondent.

(7) Both the petitioner and the local public health administrator or State Health Officer if there has been a transfer of responsibility under ORS § 431.382 certifying to the matter alleged in the petition shall appear at the hearing. The hearing of the case shall be informal with the object of resolving the issue before the court promptly and economically between the parties. The parties shall be entitled to subpoena witnesses, to offer evidence and to cross-examine. The judge may examine witnesses to insure a full inquiry into the facts necessary for a determination of the matter before the court.

(8) After hearing all of the evidence, the court shall determine the truth of the allegations contained in the petition. The court shall order the respondent to submit to the requested test by a licensed health care provider without delay if, based upon clear and convincing evidence, the court finds that:

(a) The allegations in the petition are true;

(b) The injury the petitioner is suffering or will suffer is an injury that only the relief requested will adequately remedy; and

(c) The interest of the petitioner in obtaining the relief clearly outweighs the privacy interest of the respondent in withholding consent.

(9) If the court does not make the finding described in subsection (8) of this section, the court shall dismiss the petition.

(10) Failure to obey the order of the court shall be subject to contempt proceedings pursuant to law. [1989 c.878 § 5; 2009 c.595 § 638; 2021 c.191 § 12]