(a) An HIV counselor who meets the requirements of subdivision (f) may do all of the following:

(1) Perform any HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV), or other sexually transmitted disease (STD) test that is classified as waived under the federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA) (42 U.S.C. § 263a et seq.) if all of the following conditions exist:

(A) The performance of the HIV, HCV, or STD test meets the requirements of CLIA and, subject to subparagraph (D), Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 1200) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code.

(B) The HIV counselor has been trained and demonstrates proficiency in administering the HIV, HCV, or STD test.

(C) The HIV counselor demonstrates sufficient knowledge of HIV, HCV, or STDs to provide appropriate counseling and referrals to patients for the test they are performing.

(D) Notwithstanding § 1246 of the Business and Professions Code, an HIV counselor may perform skin punctures for the purpose of withdrawing blood for an HIV, HCV, or STD test, upon specific authorization from a licensed physician and surgeon, provided that the person meets all of the following requirements:

(i) The HIV counselor works under the direction of a licensed physician and surgeon.

(ii) The HIV counselor has been trained in administering rapid HIV, HCV, or STD tests and in universal infection control precautions, consistent with best infection control practices established by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health in the Department of Industrial Relations and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The HIV counselor shall not administer a rapid HIV, HCV, or STD test until they demonstrate proficiency in administering the test.

(E) The person performing the HIV, HCV, or STD test meets the requirements for the performance of waived laboratory testing pursuant to subdivision (a) of § 1206.5 of the Business and Professions Code. For purposes of this subdivision and subdivision (a) of § 1206.5 of the Business and Professions Code, an HIV counselor who meets the requirements of subdivision (f) shall be “other health care personnel providing direct patient care” as referred to in paragraph (14) of subdivision (a) of § 1206.5 of the Business and Professions Code.

(F) The patient is informed that the preliminary result of the test is indicative of the likelihood of HIV infection, HCV exposure, or other STD exposure and that the result may need to be confirmed by an additional more specific test, or, if approved by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for that purpose, a second different rapid HIV, HCV, or STD test. This subdivision does not allow an HIV counselor to perform an HIV, HCV, or STD test that is not classified as waived under the CLIA.

(2) Notwithstanding § 1246.5 of the Business and Professions Code, order and report HIV, HCV, or STD test results from tests performed pursuant to paragraph (1) to patients without authorization from a licensed health care professional or the health care professional’s authorized representative. Patients with indeterminate or positive test results from tests performed pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be referred to a licensed health care provider whose scope of practice includes the authority to refer patients for laboratory testing for further evaluation.

(b) An HIV counselor who has been certified pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 120871 prior to September 1, 2009, and who will administer rapid HIV, HCV, or STD skin puncture tests shall obtain training required by clause (ii) of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) prior to September 1, 2011. The HIV counselor shall not, unless also certified as a limited phlebotomist technician, perform a skin puncture pursuant to this section until after completing the training required by that clause.

(c) An HIV counselor who has been certified pursuant to subdivision (f) prior to January 1, 2022, and who will administer rapid STD tests, shall obtain training required by subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a). The HIV counselor shall not, unless also certified as a limited phlebotomist technician, perform STD tests pursuant to this section until after completing the training required by that clause.

(d) An HIV counselor who meets the requirements of this section with respect to performing any HIV, HCV, or STD test that is classified as waived under the CLIA may not perform any other test unless that person meets the statutory and regulatory requirements for performing that other test.

(e) This section does not certify an HIV counselor as a phlebotomy technician or a limited phlebotomy technician, or fulfill any requirements for certification as a phlebotomy technician or a limited phlebotomy technician, unless the HIV counselor has otherwise satisfied the certification requirements imposed pursuant to § 1246 of the Business and Professions Code.

(f) (1) An HIV counselor shall meet one of the following criteria:

(A) Is trained by the Office of AIDS and working in an HIV counseling and testing site funded by the department through a local health jurisdiction, or its agents.

(B) Is working in an HIV counseling and testing site that meets both of the following criteria:

(i) Utilizes HIV counseling staff who are trained by the Office of AIDS or its agents.

(ii) Has a quality assurance plan approved by the local health department in the jurisdiction where the site is located and has HIV counseling and testing staff who comply with the quality assurance requirements specified in Section 1230 of Article 1 of Group 9 of Subchapter 1 of Chapter 2 of Division 1 of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations.

(C) Has completed a training course that has been approved by the Office of AIDS.

(2) (A) The Office of AIDS or its agents may charge a fee for training HIV counseling staff.

(B) The local health department may charge a fee for the quality assurance plan approval.

(3) The Office of AIDS may determine which HIV, HCV, and STD tests are to be included in the training for HIV counseling staff. This determination may be modified by the department at any time, in consultation with appropriate local public health stakeholders. Both the establishment and modification of this determination shall be exempt from the requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).

(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 486, Sec. 6. (SB 306) Effective January 1, 2022.)