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Bill to require reporting on service use by noncitizens prompts public opposition and HIPAA concerns
Summary
House Bill 17-11 would add reporting requirements for service encounters with individuals who are not lawfully present; teachers and public-health witnesses told the subcommittee the bill would introduce fear into schools and raise HIPAA and administrative concerns. The committee advanced the bill, 6-2.
Chair lady Davis presented House Bill 17-11 (as amended), which would require certain agencies and service providers to report counts of encounters with individuals who are not lawfully present in the country, subject to federal-law confidentiality protections. Teachers and medical professionals testified against the bill, saying it would create fear in classrooms, divert resources, and could conflict with HIPAA and federal confidentiality rules.
Betsy Hopkirk, a Knoxville elementary teacher, said the bill would ‘‘introduce fear and distrust into our schools’’ and divert staff time from instruction. Dr. John Warkentin, a physician and public-health professional, warned that the bill would impose significant administrative burdens and, if implemented in health-care settings, could conflict with HIPAA protections. The sponsor said the bill excludes reporting of names protected by federal law and that reporting is intended to be aggregate and consistent with federal restrictions. After testimony and questioning, the committee recorded a 6-2 vote to move the bill to full committee.
