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2012 SESSION

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SB 448 Child abuse; increases reporting period by health care providers on substance exposed infants.

Introduced by: Jill Holtzman Vogel | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Suspected child abuse; substance exposed infants; reporting by physicians.  Increases the period of time from seven days to six weeks during which a health care provider, not exclusively the attending physician as in current law, may make a finding that an infant is a substance exposed infant in cases in which the determination is based on a drug test of the infant or on a diagnosis that the child has an illness, disease, or condition that may be attributed to in utero exposure to controlled substances. A diagnosis that the infant has fetal alcohol spectrum disorder may be made at any time following a child's birth. The bill also allows a petition to be filed alleging suspected child abuse or neglect based on a finding by a health care provider that an infant is a substance exposed infant at any time. This bill is identical to HB 507.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Child abuse in infants; time periods for testing and diagnosis.  Eliminates (i) the requirement that a physician's determination of in utero child abuse be made within seven days of birth, (ii) the requirement that toxicology tests be administered to infants within 48 hours of birth, and (iii) the requirement that drug withdrawal in infants be diagnosed within 48 hours of birth. The bill also clarifies that any toxicology test, rather than just blood or urine, may be the basis of a physician's suspicion of abuse.