2017 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 44 - Health
CHAPTER 29 - CONTAGIOUS AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Section 44-29-136. Court orders for disclosure of records for law enforcement purposes; confidentiality safeguards.
(A) A portion of a person's sexually transmitted disease test results disclosed to a solicitor or state criminal law enforcement agency pursuant to Section 44-29-135(c) must be obtained by court order upon a finding by the court that the request is valid under Section 44-29-135(c) and that there is a compelling need for the test results. In determining a compelling need, the court must weigh the need for disclosure against both the privacy interest of the test subject and the potential harm to the public interest if disclosure deters future Human Immunodeficiency Virus-related testing and counselling or blood, organ, and semen donation. No information regarding persons other than the subject of the test results must be released. The court shall provide the department and the person who is the subject of the test results with notice and an opportunity to participate in the court hearing.
(B) No court may issue an order solely on the basis of anonymous tips or anonymous information. A person who provides information relied upon by a law enforcement agency or solicitor to obtain records under Section 44-29-135(c) shall sign a sworn affidavit setting forth the facts upon which he bases his allegations. This person shall appear and be subject to examination and cross-examination at the hearing to determine whether an order requiring disclosure should be granted.
(C) Pleadings pertaining to disclosure of test results must substitute a pseudonym for the true name of the subject of the test. The disclosure to the parties of the subject's true name must be communicated in documents sealed by the court. Court proceedings must be conducted in camera unless the subject of the test results requests a hearing in open court. All files regarding the court proceedings must be sealed unless waived by the subject of the test results.
(D) Upon issuance of an order to disclose the test results pursuant to Section 44-29-135(c), the court may impose appropriate safeguards against the unauthorized disclosure of the information including, but not limited to, specifying who may have access to the information, the purposes for which the information must be used, and prohibitions against further disclosure of the information.
HISTORY: 1990 Act No. 523, Section 1.
