CHAPTER 482

AN ACT to amend the Code of Virginia by adding sections numbered
82-85.1 through 82-85.6, and to repeal §§ 32-84 and 82-85 of the Code
of Virginia, all relating to tuberculosis and the prevention of the
spread thereof.

[S 215]
Approved March 30, 1956

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia be amended by adding thereto sections num-
bered 32-85.1 through 32-85.5 as follows:

§ 32-85.1. The health officer of any county, city or town may request
any person having or reasonably suspected of having tuberculosis to be
examined for the purpose of ascertaining the presence or absence of the
disease and determining the degree of communicability, if any. Such exam-
ination may be made by any licensed physician selected by the suspect at
his own expense or by the local health officer at no cost to the suspect.
Any suspect who refuses or fails to comply with such request within the
time limit designated by the local health officer, or who is found to have
tuberculosis in a communicable form, may forthwith be quarantined or
isolated at such place as may be designated by the State Board of Health
or the Commissioner.

§ 32-85.2. With the mutual consent of the Superintendent of the
institution concerned and of the Commissioner, any tubercular patient con-
fined in any State institution may be transferred to any other institution
for isolation or treatment.

§ 32-85.3. If the State Health Commissioner finds that any person
quarantined or isolated under § 32-85.1 may be temporarily released with-
out exposing others to infection, he may release such person for such
period and under such conditions as he may prescribe. The Commissioner
shall terminate the quarantine or isolation authorized by § 32-85.1 when
any person suspected of having tuberculosis in a communicable stage shall
be found not to be so infected or when any person having had tuberculosis
in a communicable stage shall be no longer communicable as determined
by the Commissioner through clinical examinations, x-ray examinations
and all necessary laboratory tests.

§ 32-85.4. Any person who fails or refuses to comply with the pro-
visions of an order of quarantine or isolation issued to him or who violates
the conditions of any temporary release from quarantine shall be guilty
of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be confined in such place as
the court may designate, for a term not exceeding one year. The order
of quarantine or isolation of any person convicted under this section shall
remain in force and upon release from confinement such person shall be
quarantined or isolated at the place designated in such order or in such
other place as the Commissioner may designate.

§ 82-85.5. As used in §§ 82-85.1 through 32-85.4 the terms “Commis-
sioner” and “State Health Commissioner” shall include the State Health
Commissioner, and his authorized deputies.

§ 32-85.6. Any person aggrieved by a decision to quarantine or isolate
such person by a local health officer or of a chief medical officer of any
tubercular institution supported in whole or in part by State funds, may
appeal within fifteen days to the Commissioner.

2. §§ 32-84 and 32-85 of the Code of Virginia are hereby repealed.