AB 396: Needle and syringe exchange services.

The bill aims to improve public health by regulating needle and syringe exchange services. To achieve this, the bill requires entities providing these services to ensure that each needle or syringe dispensed is appropriately discarded and destroyed. Each needle or syringe must include a unique serial number. The entity must keep records of the serial number and report this information to the department and local health officer on a quarterly basis. If an entity is found to have reported inaccurate data, it may face administrative penalties. Local health officers are also required to compare the serial number against the reported data to identify entities that improperly discard needles or syringes. The bill creates a disposal fund to receive administrative penalties, which can be used to implement these provisions.