FL H0735

Department of Health shall establish a sterile needle and syringe exchange pilot program in Miami-Dade County, administered by the department or a designated entity such as a hospital, health clinic, substance abuse treatment program, or HIV/AIDS service organization.

Pilot program shall offer free one-to-one exchange of clean unused needles and syringes for used ones to prevent transmission of HIV, AIDS, viral hepatitis, and other blood-borne diseases among intravenous drug users and their sexual partners and offspring.

Possession, distribution, or exchange of needles or syringes as part of the authorized pilot program is not a violation of Florida drug laws or any other law, but staff members and participants remain subject to prosecution for possessing needles outside the program or redistributing needles illegally.

Pilot program shall be funded exclusively through private grants and donations with no state funds permitted; data collection is required on participants served, needles exchanged, and disease testing but no personal identifying information may be collected.

Pilot program expires July 1, 2018, with the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability required to submit a report six months prior recommending whether to continue the program; act takes effect July 1, 2013.