Va. Code § 32.1-297.2

Current with changes from the 2024 legislative session through ch. 845

Section 32.1-297.2 - Discrimination prohibited

A. As used in this section:

"Auxiliary aids or services" means an aid or service that is used to provide information to an individual with a cognitive, developmental, intellectual, neurological, or physical disability in a format or manner that allows the individual to better understand the information. "Auxiliary aids or services" includes (i) qualified interpreters or other effective methods of making aurally delivered materials available to persons with hearing impairments; (ii) qualified readers, taped texts, texts in accessible electronic format, or other effective methods of making visually delivered materials available to persons with visual impairments; (iii) supported decision-making services, including (a) use of a support individual to communicate information to the individual with a disability, ascertain the wishes of the individual, or assist the individual in making decisions; (b) disclosure of information to a legal guardian, authorized representative, or another individual designated by the individual with a disability for such purpose, as long as the disclosure is consistent with state and federal law; and (c) if an individual has a court-appointed guardian or other individual responsible for making medical decisions on behalf of the individual, any measures used to ensure that the individual is included in decisions involving the individual's health care and that medical decisions are made in accordance with the individual's own expressed interests; and (iv) any other aid or service that is used to provide information in a format that is easily understandable and accessible to individuals with cognitive, developmental, intellectual, neurological, or physical disability, including assistive communication technology.

"Covered entity" means any licensed provider of health care services, including any health care practitioner licensed by a health regulatory board of the Department of Health Professions, hospital, nursing facility, laboratory, intermediate care facility, psychiatric residential treatment facility, institution for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, or prison health center, and any entity responsible for matching anatomical gift donors to potential recipients.

"Eligible individual" means an individual who is a candidate to receive an anatomical gift for transplantation and who is otherwise eligible to receive an anatomical gift for transplantation, with or without auxiliary aids and services.

"Eligible individual with a disability" means an eligible individual with a cognitive, developmental, intellectual, neurological, or physical disability.

"Services related to organ, eye, or tissue transplantation" means referral to a transplant center or specialist; inclusion on an organ, eye, or tissue transplantation waiting list; evaluation; surgery and related health care services; counseling; or post-transplantation treatment and services related to organ, eye, or tissue transplantation.

B. An eligible individual shall not be deemed ineligible to receive an anatomical gift or denied services related to organ, eye, or tissue transplantation solely because he is an eligible individual with a disability. However, an eligible individual may be deemed ineligible to receive an anatomical gift or denied services related to organ, eye, or tissue transplantation to the extent that his cognitive, developmental, intellectual, neurological, or physical disability has been determined by a health care provider, following an individualized evaluation, to be medically significant to the provision of the anatomical gift for organ, eye, or tissue transplantation.

C. If an eligible individual with a disability has the necessary support system to assist the individual in complying with post-transplantation medical requirements, his inability to independently comply with such post-transplantation medical requirements shall not be deemed to be medically significant.

D. No covered entity shall (i) place an eligible individual with a disability on an organ transplant waiting list at a position lower in priority than the position at which the eligible individual with a disability would have been placed if he did not have a disability or (ii) refuse insurance coverage for any services related to organ, eye, or tissue transplantation provided to an eligible individual with a disability.

E. A covered entity shall (i) make reasonable modifications to its policies, practices, or procedures to allow eligible individuals with disabilities access to services related to organ, eye, or tissue transplantation and (ii) take all steps necessary to ensure that an eligible individual with a disability is not denied medical services or services related to organ, eye, or tissue transplantation due to the absence of auxiliary aids or services. A covered entity shall not be required to comply with clause (ii) if the covered entity demonstrates that taking such steps would fundamentally alter the nature of the medical services or other services related to organ, eye, or tissue transplantation or would result in an undue burden for the covered entity.

F. In cases in which a violation of this section is alleged to have occurred, a petition shall be filed in the circuit court for the jurisdiction in which the violation is alleged to have occurred or in which the individual is located. Any petition filed pursuant to this subsection shall be given priority on the docket. Any order of the court entered on such petition may grant injunctive relief, including (i) requiring auxiliary aids or services to be made available to an eligible individual with a disability; (ii) requiring the modification of a policy, practice, or procedure of a covered entity; or (iii) requiring that facilities be made accessible to and usable by an eligible individual with a disability.

G. The provisions of this section shall apply to each part of the anatomical gift and organ, eye, or tissue transplantation process.

H. The provisions of this section shall not be construed to require the provision of medically inappropriate services related to organ, eye, or tissue transplantation.

Va. Code § 32.1-297.2

2020, cc. 217, 218.

Added by Acts 2020 c. 218, § 1, eff. 7/1/2020.

Added by Acts 2020 c. 217, § 1, eff. 7/1/2020.