Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 80 Part 1.djvu/1391

 80 STAT.]

PUBLIC LAW 8 9 - 7 7 6 - N O V. 6, 1966

1355

EVIDENCE NOT PRIVILEGED

SEC. 5. Notwithstanding the provisions of the District of Columbia Code, sections 14-306 and 14-307, neither the physician-patient privilege nor the husband-wife privilege shall be a ground for excluding evidence in any proceeding in the Juvenile Court of the District of Columbia concerning the welfare of such child, provided that the Juvenile Court determines such privilege should be waived in the interest of public justice. SEC. 6. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, no child who in ^ood faith is under treatment solely by spiritual means through prayer m accordance with the tenets and practices of a recognized church or religious denomination by a duly accredited practitioner thereof shall, for that reason alone, be considered to have been neglected within the purview of this Act. Approved November 6, 1966.

77 Stat, 519.

Public Law 89-776 AN ACT November 6, 1966 To provide for the mandatory reporting by physicians and hospitals or similar [ H. R. 9985] institutions in the District of Columbia of injuries caused by firearms or other dangerous weapons.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That any physician D.C. in the District of Columbia, including persons licensed under the inju^fes c'^ured "Healing Arts Practice Act, District of Columbia, 1929" (45 Stat, by firearms. 1326; sec. 2-101, et seq., D.C. Code), as amended, having reasonable cause to believe that a person brought to him or coming before him for examination, care or treatment has suffered injury caused by a firearm, whether self-inflicted, accidental or occurring during the commission of a crime, or has suffered injury caused by any dangerous weapon in the commission of a crime, shall report or cause reports to be made in accordance with this Act: Provided, That when a physician in the performance of service as a member of the staff of a hospital or similar institution attends any person so injured, he shall notify the person in charge of the hospital or institution or his designated agent who shall report or cause reports to be made in accordance with this Act. SEC. 2. An oral report shall be made immediately by telephone or Report. otherwise, and followed as soon thereafter as possible by a report in writing, to the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia. Such reports shall contain, if readily available, the name, address, and age of the injured person, and shall also contain the nature and extent of the person's injuries, and any other information which the physician or other person required to make the report believes might be helpful in establishing the cause of the injuries and the identity of the person who caused the injuries. SEC. 3. Any person, hospital, or institution participating in good Liability imfaith in the making of a report pursuant to this Act shall have im- '"""'*^" munity from any liability, civil or criminal, that might otherwise be incurred or imposed with respect to the making of such report. Any such participant shall have the same immunity with respect to participation in any judicial proceeding resulting from such report. Approved November 6, 1966.

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