'Right to Know' bill would impact inmates with diseases

[Guest guest]

http://www.fdlreporter.com/article/20100219/FON0101/2190415/1985/FONnews/Right-t\

o-Know-bill-would-impact-inmates-with-diseases'Right to Know' bill would impact

inmates with diseasesFor The Reporter • February 19, 2010State Sen. Randy

Hopper, R-Fond du Lac, and State Rep. Suder, R-Abbotsford, have introduced

a bill they say will better protect Wisconsin's more-than 5,000 correctional

officers from catching a disease on the job.The bill would give officers the

" right to know " when inmates in their care have communicable diseases. " Public

safety is a top priority for Wisconsin, " Hopper said in a press release, " and a

big part of that is giving our corrections officers the tools they need to do

the job safely. The men and women on our front lines have enough to worry about

without having to wonder what diseases they might catch just for doing their

job. " Current law allows correctional officers to request a disease test for an

inmate if they get any of their bodily fluids on them, but not until then. These

communicable diseases could be as severe as AIDS, Hepatitis or Mono, or as

simple as head lice. In any case, Hopper and Suder said the corrections workers

should have the right to know. " The officers working on the front lines of our

correctional system deserve access to this critical information so they can

protect themselves, other inmates, and perhaps most importantly their families

at home, " Suder said. " This common-sense bill will lift the veil of secrecy from

criminals who use their illnesses and afflictions as weapons against those

tasked with the dangerous job of maintaining order in our state prison

system. " Corrections staff are primary caregivers and first responders on the

scene when inmates need medical attention, and this information is critical to

best respond to medical needs.