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                                                      PRINTER'S NO. 1017

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


SENATE BILL

No. 847 Session of 2007


        INTRODUCED BY ORIE, ERICKSON, KITCHEN, STACK, BOSCOLA, COSTA,
           RAFFERTY, LOGAN, WASHINGTON, PIPPY, O'PAKE, MELLOW, MUSTO AND
           WONDERLING, MAY 18, 2007

        REFERRED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, MAY 18, 2007

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of September 9, 1965 (P.L.497, No.251),
     2     entitled "An act requiring physicians, hospitals and other
     3     institutions to administer or cause to be administered tests
     4     for phenylketonuria and other metabolic diseases upon infants
     5     in certain cases," further providing for definitions and for
     6     newborn screening and follow-up program; providing for a list
     7     of diseases and conditions; further providing for procurement
     8     of specimens by health care providers and for regulations;
     9     and making an appropriation.

    10     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    11  hereby enacts as follows:
    12     Section 1.  The title of the act of September 9, 1965
    13  (P.L.497, No.251), known as the Newborn Child Testing Act, is
    14  amended to read:
    15                               AN ACT

    16  Requiring physicians, hospitals and other [institutions] health
    17     care providers to administer or cause to be administered
    18     tests for [phenylketonuria and other metabolic] genetic,
    19     metabolic, hormonal and functional diseases upon infants in
    20     certain cases.

     1     Section 2.  The definitions of "board" and "disease" in
     2  section 2 of the act, added July 9, 1992 (P.L.398, No.86), are
     3  amended to read:
     4     Section 2.  Definitions.--The following words and phrases
     5  when used in this act shall have the meanings given to them in
     6  this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
     7     ["Board."  The State Advisory Health Board in the Department
     8  of Health.]
     9     * * *
    10     ["Disease."  Diseases listed by the Department of Health by
    11  regulation which lead to mental retardation or physical defects,
    12  including, without limitation, Phenylketonuria (PKU), maple
    13  syrup urine disease (MSUD) and sickle-cell disease
    14  (hemoglobinopathies).]
    15     * * *
    16     Section 3.  Section 3 of the act, added July 9, 1992
    17  (P.L.398, No.86), is amended to read:
    18     Section 3.  [Newborn Child Screening and Follow-up Program]
    19  List of Diseases and Conditions.--(a)  In order to assist health
    20  care providers to determine whether treatment or other services
    21  are necessary for a newborn child in order to avert mental
    22  retardation, permanent disabilities or death, the department[,
    23  with the approval of the board,] shall establish [a program
    24  providing for:
    25     (1)  The screening tests of newborn children for diseases.
    26     (2)  Follow-up services relating to confirmatory testing,
    27  assessment and diagnosis of newborn children with abnormal or
    28  inconclusive screening test results.
    29     (b)  The department, with the approval of the board, shall
    30  establish by regulation those diseases, in addition to
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     1  phenylketonuria (PKU), maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) and
     2  sickle-cell disease (hemoglobinopathies), for which newborn
     3  children shall be tested and the methods for testing and
     4  disseminating test results.
     5     (c)  No screening test shall be performed if a parent or
     6  guardian dissents on the ground that the test conflicts with a
     7  religious belief or practice.] a list of genetic, metabolic,
     8  hormonal and functional diseases or conditions of concern,
     9  including, but not limited to:
    10     (1)  Phenylketonuria (PKU).
    11     (2)  Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD).
    12     (3)  Sickle-cell anemia.
    13     (4)  Isovaleric acidemia/isovalery-CoA dehydrogenase
    14  deficiency (IVA).
    15     (5)  Glutaric acidemia type I/glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase
    16  deficiency type I (GA I).
    17     (6)  3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA lyase deficiency (HMG).
    18     (7)  Multiple carboxylase deficiency (MCD).
    19     (8)  Methylmalonic acidemia mutase deficiency (MUT).
    20     (9)  Methylmalonic acidemia (CblA, B).
    21     (10)  3-Methylcrontonyl-CoA carboxylase deficiency (3MCC).
    22     (11)  Propionic acidemia/propionyl-CoA carboxylase deficiency
    23  (PROP).
    24     (12)  Beta-ketothiolase deficiency (BKT).
    25     (13)  Medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MCAD).
    26     (14)  Very long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency
    27  (VLCAD).
    28     (15)  Long-chain L-3-OH acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency
    29  (LCHAD).
    30     (16)  Trifunctional protein deficiency (TFP).
    20070S0847B1017                  - 3 -     

     1     (17)  Carnitine uptake defect (CUD).
     2     (18)  Homocystinuria (HCY).
     3     (19)  Tyrosinemia type I (TYR I).
     4     (20)  Argininosuccinic acidemia (ASA).
     5     (21)  Citrullinemia (CIT).
     6     (22)  Hb S/beta-thalassemia (Hb S/Th).
     7     (23)  Hb S/C disease (Hb S/C).
     8     (24)  Congenital hypothyroidism (CH).
     9     (25)  Biotinidase deficiency (BIOT).
    10     (26)  Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH).
    11     (27)  Galactosemia (GALT).
    12     (28)  Cystic fibrosis (CF).
    13     (b)  The department shall establish by regulation those
    14  conditions and diseases, in addition to those listed in
    15  subsection (a), for which newborn children shall be tested.
    16     Section 4.  The act is amended by adding sections to read:
    17     Section 3.1.  Newborn Child Screening.--(a)  The department
    18  shall establish a program providing for the reporting of the
    19  screening tests of newborn children for the conditions and
    20  diseases listed under section 3.
    21     (b)  No screening test shall be performed if a parent or
    22  guardian dissents on the ground that the test conflicts with a
    23  religious belief or practice.
    24     (c)  All laboratories performing the screening tests under
    25  the program established in subsection (a) shall report all
    26  screening test results by the laboratories to the department.
    27     (d)  The department shall establish by publication in the
    28  Pennsylvania Bulletin the method or methods for reporting all
    29  screening test results to the department.
    30     (e)  The results of all screening tests performed under the
    20070S0847B1017                  - 4 -     

     1  program established in subsection (a) shall be subject to the
     2  confidentiality provisions of section 15 of the act of April 23,
     3  1956 (1955 P.L.1510, No.500), known as the "Disease Prevention
     4  and Control Law of 1955."
     5     Section 3.2.  Newborn Child Screening Follow-up Program.--The
     6  department shall establish a program providing for follow-up
     7  services for a newborn child with abnormal or inconclusive
     8  screening test results for the condition and diseases listed
     9  under section 3. The follow-up services shall include, but not
    10  be limited to:
    11     (1)  Notifying parents or guardians of test results.
    12     (2)  Notifying health care providers of test results.
    13     (3)  Arranging for confirmatory screening and testing.
    14     (4)  Notifying health care providers of options for a newborn
    15  child with the conditions and diseases listed in section 3.
    16     Section 5.  Sections 4 and 5 of the act, added July 9, 1992
    17  (P.L.398, No.86), are amended to read:
    18     Section 4.  Procurement of Specimens by Health Care
    19  Providers.--(a)  Health care providers shall cause to be
    20  procured blood specimens of newborn children for required
    21  screening and confirmatory tests and send such specimens to a
    22  testing laboratory designated by the department.
    23     (b)  If the initial specimen is an unacceptable specimen [or
    24  as otherwise required by the department by regulation, the], a
    25  health care provider shall collect a repeat specimen for
    26  screening and confirmatory tests.
    27     Section 5.  Regulations.--The department[, with the approval
    28  of the board,] shall have the authority to promulgate
    29  regulations for the implementation and administration of this
    30  act.
    20070S0847B1017                  - 5 -     

     1     Section 6.  The sum of $2,000,000, or as much thereof as may
     2  be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the Department of Health
     3  for the fiscal year July 1, 2007, to June 30, 2008, to carry out
     4  the purposes of this act.
     5     Section 7.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2007, or
     6  immediately, whichever is later.
















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