PRINTER'S NO. 322
No. 284 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY LYNCH, BALDWIN, BEBKO-JONES, BELARDI, BELFANTI,
BISHOP, BROWNE, CAPPELLI, CAUSER, CAWLEY, CLYMER, CORRIGAN,
CREIGHTON, CRUZ, CURRY, DALEY, DeLUCA, DeWEESE, FAIRCHILD,
FEESE, FRANKEL, GEIST, GEORGE, HARHAI, HENNESSEY, HORSEY,
HUTCHINSON, JAMES, JOSEPHS, KELLER, KIRKLAND, KOTIK,
LAUGHLIN, LEDERER, MANDERINO, MARKOSEK, McILHATTAN, MELIO,
READSHAW, REICHLEY, SAINATO, SATHER, SCRIMENTI, SOLOBAY,
STABACK, E. Z. TAYLOR, TIGUE, WASHINGTON, WOJNAROSKI AND
YOUNGBLOOD, FEBRUARY 12, 2003
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH, FEBRUARY 12, 2003
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 newborn child
6 screening and testing.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. Section 3 of the act of September 9, 1965
10 (P.L.497, No.251), known as the Newborn Child Testing Act, added
11 July 9, 1992 (P.L.398, No.86), is amended to read:
12 Section 3. Newborn Child Screening and Follow-up Program.--
13 (a) In order to assist health care providers to determine
14 whether treatment or other services are necessary to avert
15 mental retardation, permanent disabilities or death, the
16 department, with the approval of the board, shall establish a
1 program providing for:
2 (1) The screening tests of newborn children for diseases.
3 (2) Follow-up services relating to confirmatory testing,
4 assessment and diagnosis of newborn children with abnormal or
5 inconclusive screening test results.
6 (b) The department, with the approval of the board, shall
7 establish by regulation those diseases, in addition to
8 phenylketonuria (PKU), maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) [and],
9 sickle-cell disease (hemoglobinopathies) and retinoblastoma, for
10 which newborn children shall be tested and the methods for
11 testing and disseminating test results.
12 (c) No screening test shall be performed if a parent or
13 guardian dissents on the ground that the test conflicts with a
14 religious belief or practice.
15 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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