ELIMINATE PRE-MARITAL AIDS

AWARENESS COUNSELING

REQUIREMENT

House Bill 5029

Complete to 3-20-00

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 5029 AS INTRODUCED 10-26-00

Currently, under the Public Health Code, physicians, physician's assistants (PAs), certified nurse midwives (CNMs), and certified nurse practitioners (CNPs) and local health officers are required to counsel marriage applicants on, and offer testing for, venereal diseases and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection. Marriage applicants are required to present a signed health certificate (or a written objection to the counseling) attesting to the fact that they have received such counseling and offer of testing to the county clerk before the county clerk can issue the applicant a marriage license.

The bill would eliminate these requirements, and require, instead , that applicants be advised through the distribution of written educational materials by the county clerk. The bill would also delete language allowing a couple to avoid the required counseling by filing a written objection, and language allowing the county clerk to charge a fee to cover the administrative costs for such objections. Finally, the bill would eliminate the requirement that both applicants be counseled regarding modes of transmission, potential for transmission to a fetus and protective measures if either applicant tested positive for HIV or an antibody for HIV.

MCL 333.5119

Analyst: W. Flory

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.