Section 49406.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (h), no person shall be initially employed by a school district in a certificated or classified position unless the person has submitted to an examination within the past 60 days to determine that he or she is free of active tuberculosis, by a physician and surgeon licensed under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code or a physician assistant practicing in compliance with Chapter 7.7 (commencing with Section 3500) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code. This examination shall consist of either an approved intradermal tuberculin test or any other test for tuberculosis infection that is recommended by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and licensed by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which, if positive, shall be followed by an X-ray of the lungs in accordance with subdivision (f) of Section 120115 of the Health and Safety Code.

The X-ray film may be taken by a competent and qualified X-ray technician if the X-ray film is subsequently interpreted by a physician and surgeon licensed under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code.

The district superintendent or his or her designee may exempt, for a period not to exceed 60 days following termination of the pregnancy, a pregnant employee from the requirement that a positive intradermal tuberculin test be followed by an X-ray of the lungs.

(b) Thereafter, employees who are test negative by either the tuberculin skin test or any other test for tuberculosis infection recommended by the CDC and licensed by the FDA shall be required to undergo the foregoing examination at least once each four years or more often if directed by the governing board upon recommendation of the local health officer for so long as the employee's test remains negative. Once an employee has a documented positive test for tuberculosis infection conducted pursuant to this subdivision which has been followed by an X-ray, the foregoing examination is no longer required, and a referral shall be made within 30 days of completion of the examination to the local health officer to determine the need for followup care.

(c) After the examination, each employee shall cause to be on file with the district superintendent of schools a certificate from the examining physician and surgeon or physician assistant showing the employee was examined and found free from active tuberculosis. The county board of education may require, by rule, that all their certificates be filed in the office of the county superintendent of schools or shall require their files be maintained in the office of the county superintendent of schools if a majority of the governing boards of the districts within the county so petition the county board of education, except that in either case a district or districts with a common board having an average daily attendance of 60,000 or more may elect to maintain the files for its employees in that district. "Certificate," as used in this section, means a certificate signed by the examining physician and surgeon or physician assistant practicing in compliance with Chapter 7.7 (commencing with Section 3500) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code or a notice from a public health agency or unit of the American Lung Association that indicates freedom from active tuberculosis. The latter, regardless of form, shall constitute evidence of compliance with this section. Nothing in this section shall prevent the governing board, upon recommendation of the local health officer, from establishing a rule requiring a more extensive or more frequent physical examination than required by this section, but the rule shall provide for reimbursement on the same basis as required in this section.

(d) This examination is a condition of initial employment and the expense incident thereto shall be borne by the applicant unless otherwise provided by rules of the governing board. However, the board may, if an applicant is accepted for employment, reimburse that person in a like manner prescribed in this section for employees.

(e) The governing board of each district shall reimburse the employee for the cost, if any, of this examination. The board may provide for the examination required by this section or may establish a reasonable fee for the examination that is reimbursable to employees of the district complying with the provisions of this section.

(f) At the discretion of the governing board, this section shall not apply to those employees not requiring certification qualifications who are employed for any period of time less than a school year whose functions do not require frequent or prolonged contact with pupils.

The governing board may, however, require an examination described in subdivision (b) and may, as a contract condition, require the examination of persons employed under contract, other than those persons specified in subdivision (a), if the board believes the presence of these persons in and around school premises would constitute a health hazard to pupils.

(g) If the governing board of a school district determines by resolution, after hearing, that the health of pupils in the district would not be jeopardized thereby, this section shall not apply to any employee of the district who files an affidavit stating that he or she adheres to the faith or teachings of any well-recognized religious sect, denomination, or organization and in accordance with its creed, tenets, or principles depends for healing upon prayer in the practice of religion and that to the best of his or her knowledge and belief he or she is free from active tuberculosis. If at any time there should be probable cause to believe that the affiant is afflicted with active tuberculosis, he or she may be excluded from service until the governing board of the employing district is satisfied that he or she is not so afflicted.

(h) A person who transfers his or her employment from one school or school district to another shall be deemed to meet the requirements of subdivision (a) if that person can produce a certificate which shows that he or she was examined within the past four years and was found to be free of communicable tuberculosis, or if it is verified by the school previously employing him or her that it has a certificate on file which contains that showing.

A person who transfers his or her employment from a private or parochial elementary school, secondary school, or nursery school to a school or school district subject to this section shall be deemed to meet the requirements of subdivision (a) if that person can produce a certificate as provided for in Section 121525 of the Health and Safety Code that shows that he or she was examined within the past four years and was found to be free of communicable tuberculosis, or if it is verified by the school previously employing him or her that it has a certificate on file which contains that showing.

(i) Any governing board or county superintendent of schools providing for the transportation of pupils under contract authorized by Section 39800, 39801, or any other provision of law shall require as a condition of the contract the examination for active tuberculosis, as provided by subdivision (a), of all drivers transporting these pupils, provided that private contracted drivers who transport these pupils on an infrequent basis, not to exceed once a month, shall be excluded from this requirement.

(Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 512, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2011.)