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2020 SESSION

20100420D
HOUSE BILL NO. 97
Offered January 8, 2020
Prefiled December 12, 2019
A BILL to amend and reenact § 32.1-65 of the Code of Virginia, relating to newborn screening; Krabbe disease and other lysosomal storage disorders.
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Patrons-- Miyares and Samirah
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Referred to Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 32.1-65 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 32.1-65. Certain newborn screening required.

In order to prevent intellectual disability and permanent disability or death, every infant who is born in the Commonwealth shall be subjected to screening tests for various disorders consistent with, but not necessarily identical to, the uniform condition panel recommended by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children. Such screening tests shall include screening for Krabbe disease and all other lysosomal storage disorders for which a screening test is available.

Any infant whose parent or guardian objects thereto on the grounds that such tests conflict with his religious practices or tenets shall not be required to receive such screening tests.

The physician or certified nurse midwife in charge of the infant's care after delivery shall cause such tests to be performed. The screening tests shall be performed by the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services or any other laboratory the Department of Health has contracted with to provide such service. Screening tests for time-critical disorders identified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children shall be performed seven days a week.

The program for screening infants for sickle cell diseases shall be conducted in addition to the programs provided for in Article 8 (§ 32.1-68 et seq.).