An Act To Reduce the Cost of Care Resulting from Blood-borne Infectious Diseases
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1707
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: VACHON, VOLK, COREY, HARRINGTON, PICCHIOTTI, DILL, LANGLEY, MAKER

Legislative Document
No. 1707
H.P. 1187
House of Representatives, December 22, 2017
An Act To Reduce the Cost of Care Resulting from Blood-borne 
Infectious Diseases
(EMERGENCY)
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203.
Received by the Clerk of the House on December 19, 2017.  Referred to the Committee on 
Health and Human Services pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint 
Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative VACHON of Scarborough.
Cosponsored by Senator VOLK of Cumberland and
Representatives: COREY of Windham, HARRINGTON of Sanford, PICCHIOTTI of Fairfield, 
Senators: DILL of Penobscot, LANGLEY of Hancock, MAKER of Washington.
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Maine 
has a reported rate of acute hepatitis C nearly 3 times the average rate found in the United 
States, a rate largely driven by sharing syringes. Untreated hepatitis C can be fatal; and
Whereas, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has flagged 
several Maine counties as being susceptible to an HIV outbreak akin to the surge in new 
cases of HIV in Scott County, Indiana, where new cases of HIV increased from an 
average of 5 per year to 190 in 2015 alone.  Analysts determined this crisis was fueled by 
injection drug use and lack of access to syringe exchange programs and testing services; 
and
Whereas, the comparative cost of treating these problems is far more than the cost 
of preventing these problems; and
Whereas, while most other states with legal syringe exchange programs publicly 
fund those programs, Maine does not.  Maine's network of 5 syringe exchange programs 
is lacking in resources, and, in some cases, programs are closing their doors.  Also, many 
residents, especially residents in rural counties, lack access to these programs altogether; 
and
Whereas, the longer it takes the Legislature to act on this crisis, the more likely the 
network of syringe exchange programs will continue to deteriorate; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention 0143
Initiative:  Provides funds to support hypodermic apparatus exchange programs pursuant 
to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 1341, subsection 4.
GENERAL FUND
2017-18
2018-19
All Other
$75,000
$75,000
GENERAL FUND TOTAL
$75,000
$75,000
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved.
SUMMARY
This bill provides funds to support hypodermic apparatus, or syringe, exchange 
programs.