N.J. governor vetoes mandatory testing of psychiatric patients

AIDS Policy Law. 1997 Jun 13;12(11):8.

Abstract

AIDS: New Jersey Governor Christie Whitman conditionally vetoed a bill that would have mandated HIV testing of all patients in State psychiatric hospitals. The bill would have required patients upon admission to undergo testing for HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, gonorrhea, and other sexually transmitted diseases. Except in limited circumstances, New Jersey does not mandate HIV testing. The measure passed both houses with little opposition but the governor decided to invoke her power of conditional veto. The governor recommended that the mandatory testing and disclosure portions be deleted and replaced with a provision requiring that the patient be informed of the benefits of HIV testing and be given the option of voluntary testing.

Publication types

  • Newspaper Article

MeSH terms

  • AIDS Serodiagnosis
  • HIV Infections / complications
  • Hospitalization*
  • Humans
  • Mandatory Testing / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Mental Disorders / complications*
  • New Jersey
  • Patients
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / complications