121349.

 (a) The Legislature finds and declares that scientific data from needle exchange programs in the United States and in Europe have shown that the exchange of used hypodermic needles and syringes for clean hypodermic needles and syringes does not increase drug use in the population, can serve as an important bridge to treatment and recovery from drug abuse, and can curtail the spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among the intravenous drug user population.

(b) In order to reduce the spread of HIV infection and bloodborne hepatitis among the intravenous drug user population within California, the Legislature hereby authorizes a clean needle and syringe exchange project pursuant to this chapter in any city, county, or city and county upon the action of a county board of supervisors and the local health officer or health commission of that county, or upon the action of the city council, the mayor, and the local health officer of a city with a health department, or upon the action of the city council and the mayor of a city without a health department. that chooses to participate in the project.

(c) (1) In order to reduce the spread of HIV infection, viral hepatitis, and other potentially deadly bloodborne infections, the State Department of Public Health may, notwithstanding any other law, authorize entities that provide services set forth in paragraph (1) of subdivision (d), and that have sufficient staff and capacity to provide the services described in Section 121349.1, as determined by the department, to apply for authorization under this chapter to provide hypodermic needle and syringe exchange services consistent with state standards in any location where the department determines that the conditions exist for the rapid spread of HIV, viral hepatitis, or other potentially deadly or disabling infections that are spread through the sharing of used hypodermic needles and syringes. standards. Authorization shall be made after consultation with the local health officer and local law enforcement leadership, the approval of the participating city, county, or city and county, and after a period of public comment, as described in subdivision (e). In

(2) In making the determination, the department shall balance the concerns of law enforcement with the public health benefits. The

(3) The authorization shall not be for more than two years. Before the end of the two-year period, the department may reauthorize the program in consultation with the local health officer and local law enforcement leadership. with the approval of the participating city, county, or city and county.

(d) In order for an entity to be authorized to conduct a project pursuant to this chapter, its application to the department shall demonstrate that the entity complies with all of the following minimum standards:

(1) The entity provides, directly or through referral, all of the following services:

(A) Drug abuse treatment services.

(B) HIV or hepatitis screening.

(C) Hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccination.

(D) Screening for sexually transmitted infections.

(E) Housing services for the homeless, for victims of domestic violence, or other similar housing services.

(F) Services related to provision of education and materials for the reduction of sexual risk behaviors, including, but not limited to, the distribution of condoms.

(2) The entity has the capacity to commence needle and syringe exchange services within three months of authorization.

(3) The entity has adequate funding to do all of the following at reasonably projected program participation levels:

(A) Provide needles and syringe exchange services for all of its participants.

(B) Provide HIV and viral hepatitis prevention education services for all of its participants.

(C) Provide for the safe recovery and disposal of used syringes and sharps waste from all of its participants.

(4) The entity has the capacity, and an established plan, to collect evaluative data in order to assess program impact, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(A) The total number of persons served.

(B) The total number of needles and syringes distributed, recovered, and disposed of.

(C) The total numbers and types of referrals to drug treatment and other services.

(e) If the application is provisionally deemed appropriate by the department, the department shall, at least 45 days prior to before approval of the application, provide for a period of public comment as follows:

(1) Post on the department’s internet website the name of the applicant, the nature of the services, and the location where the applying entity will provide the services.

(2) Send a written and an email notice to the local health officer of the affected jurisdiction. affected city, county, or city and county.

(3) Send a written and an email notice to the chief of police, the sheriff, or both, as appropriate, of the jurisdictions in which the program will operate.

(f) The department shall establish and maintain on its internet website the address and contact information of programs providing hypodermic needle and syringe exchange services pursuant to this chapter.

(g) The authorization provided under this section is only for a clean needle and syringe exchange project as described in Section 121349.1.

(h) (1) Needle and syringe exchange services application submissions, authorizations, and operations performed pursuant to this chapter shall be exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act, Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code.

(2)  This subdivision is intended to be declaratory of existing law.

(i) If the department, in its discretion, determines that a state authorized syringe exchange program continues to meet all standards set forth in subdivision (d) and that a public health need exists, it may administratively approve amendments to a program’s operations including, but not limited to, modifications to the time, location, and type of services provided, including the designation as a fixed site or a mobile site. The amendment approval is not shall be subject to the noticing requirements of subdivision (e).

(j) The department shall have 30 business days to review and respond to the applicant’s request for amendment of the authorization. If the department does not respond in writing within 30 business days, the request shall be deemed denied.

(k) The provisions of this section are severable. If any provision of this section or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.

121349.1.

 (a) The State Department of Public Health or and a city, county, or a city and county with or without a health department, department that acts to authorize a clean needle and syringe exchange project pursuant to this chapter shall, in consultation with the State Department of Public Health, shall authorize the exchange of clean hypodermic needles and syringes, as recommended by the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, subject to the availability of funding, as part of a network of comprehensive services, including treatment services, to combat the spread of HIV and bloodborne hepatitis infection among injection drug users. Staff and volunteers participating in an exchange project authorized by the state, county, city, or city and county pursuant to this chapter shall not be subject to criminal prosecution for violation of any law related to the possession, furnishing, or transfer of hypodermic needles or syringes or any materials deemed by a local or state health department to be necessary to prevent the spread of communicable diseases, or to prevent drug overdose, injury, or disability during participation in an exchange project. Program participants shall not be subject to criminal prosecution for possession of needles or syringes or any materials deemed by a local or state health department to be necessary to prevent the spread of communicable diseases, or to prevent drug overdose, injury, or disability acquired from an authorized needle and syringe exchange project entity.

121349.3.

 The health officer of the participating jurisdiction shall present biennially at an open meeting of the board of supervisors or city council a report detailing the status of clean needle and syringe exchange programs, including, but not limited to, relevant statistics on bloodborne infections associated with needle sharing activity and the use of public funds for these programs. Law enforcement, administrators of alcohol and drug treatment programs, other stakeholders, and the public shall be afforded ample opportunity to comment at this biennial meeting. The notice to the public shall be sufficient to ensure adequate participation in the meeting by the public. This meeting shall be noticed in accordance with all state and local open meeting laws and ordinances, and as local officials deem appropriate. For hypodermic needle and syringe exchange services authorized by the State Department of Public Health, a A biennial report shall be provided by the department to the local health officer city, county, or city and county based on the reports to the department from service providers within the jurisdiction of that local health officer. city, county, or city and county’s jurisdiction.