Sec. 7. Reports of lead poisoning required; lead information to remain confidential; disclosure prohibited.

422 words·~2 min read·/il/chapter-410/act-45/7

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Sec. 7. Reports of lead poisoning required; lead information to remain confidential; disclosure prohibited. Every physician who diagnoses, or a health care provider, nurse, hospital administrator, or public health officer who has verified information of the existence of a blood lead test result for any child or pregnant person shall report the result to the Department. Results identifying an elevated blood lead level shall be reported to the Department within 48 hours of receipt of verification.

Reports shall include the name, address, laboratory results, date of birth, and any other information about the child or pregnant person deemed essential by the Department. Directors of clinical laboratories must report to the Department, within 48 hours of receipt of verification, all blood lead analyses equal to or above an elevated blood lead level performed in their facility. The information included in the clinical laboratories report shall include, but not be limited to, the child's name, address, date of birth, name of physician ordering analysis, and specimen type.

All blood lead levels less than an elevated blood lead level must be reported to the Department in accordance with rules adopted by the Department. These rules shall not require reporting in less than 30 days after the end of the month in which the results are obtained. All information obtained by the Department from any source and all information, data, reports, e-mails, letters, and other documents generated by the Department or any of its delegate agencies concerning any person subject to this Act receiving a blood lead test shall be treated in the same manner as information subject to the provisions of Part 21 of Article VIII of the Code of Civil Procedure and shall not be disclosed.

This prohibition on disclosure extends to all information and reports obtained or created by the Department or any of its delegate agencies concerning any regulated facility that has been identified as a potential lead hazard or a source of lead poisoning. This prohibition on disclosure does not prevent the Department or its delegates from using any information it obtains civilly, criminally, or administratively to prosecute any person who violates this Act, nor does it prevent the Department or its delegates from disclosing any certificate of compliance, notice, or mitigation order issued pursuant to this Act.

Any physician, nurse, hospital administrator, director of a clinical laboratory, public health officer, or allied health professional making a report in good faith shall be immune from any civil or criminal liability that otherwise might be incurred from the making of a report.