It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Sections 23-28.36-1 and 23-28.36-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-28.36 entitled "Notification of Fire Fighters, Police Officers and Emergency Medical Technicians After Exposure to Infectious Diseases" are hereby amended to read as follows:

23-28.36-1. Legislative findings -- The general assembly finds and declares that by reason of their employment, fire fighters, police officers, and emergency medical technicians are required to work in the midst of, and are subject to, exposure to infectious diseases, including, but not limited to, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV); that after exposure, fire fighters, police officers, and emergency medical technicians are not informed of the exposures; that fire fighters, police officers, and emergency medical technicians so exposed can potentially and unwittingly expose coworkers, families, and members of the public to infectious diseases. The general assembly further finds and declares that all the aforementioned conditions exist and arise out of or in the course of employment.

23-28.36-2. Definitions -- The following terms when used in this chapter shall have the following meanings herein ascribed:

(a) "Contagious disease" means an infectious disease.

(b) "Disability" means a condition of physical incapacity to perform any assigned duty or duties in the fire department or emergency medical service.

(c) "Emergency medical technician" means a person licensed pursuant to chapter 4.1 of this title to provide emergency medical services.

(d) "Fire department" means service groups (paid or volunteer) that are organized and trained for the prevention and control of loss of life and property from fire or other emergency.

(e) "Fire fighter" means an individual who is assigned to fire fighting activity and is required to respond to alarms and perform emergency action at the location of a fire, hazardous materials, or other emergency incident.

(f) "Infectious disease" means interruption, cessation, or disorder of body functions, systems, or organs transmissible by association with the sick or their secretions or excretions, excluding the common cold. Infectious disease includes, but is not limited to, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV).

(g) "Licensed facility" means a hospital, nursing home, medical clinic, dialysis center, physician's office, or the like, as licensed by the province to provide medical care.

(h) "Police officer" means any permanently employed city or town police officer, state police officer, committing squad member, or other permanent law enforcement officer as defined in section 12-7-21; provided, however, this shall not include the highest ranking officer of any of the departments.

(i) "Strike force member" means any member of the statewide strike force of the department of attorney general.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.