AN ACT CONCERNING METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2008) On or before January 1, 2009, each hospital shall develop a plan to reduce the incidence of persons contracting the methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus infection at such hospital. Such plan shall minimally include the strategies the hospital will implement to reduce the incidence of such infections. Such plan shall be submitted to the Department of Public Health and shall be a public record. As used in this section, "hospital" means a hospital licensed under chapter 368v of the general statutes; "methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus" means the strain of staphylococcus aureus bacteria, also known as MRSA, that is resistant to oxacillin or methicillin and detected and defined according to the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute's Performance Standards for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing.

Statement of Purpose:

To require each hospital in the state to develop a plan to reduce the incidence of persons contracting the methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus infection at such hospital.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]