HB 18-1006 Summary

• Repeals part 8 of article 4 of title 25 and establishes newborn screening program modifications administered by the Department of Public Health and Environment, with new legislative findings on screening innovations, cost savings, and public health benefits.

• Makes newborn hearing screening a key program component, requiring birthing facilities to screen infants for hearing loss and establishing an advisory committee with at least nine members including parents, audiologists, and deaf community representatives.

• Establishes that screening testing is not required if parents or legal guardians object, and makes family participation in follow-up support services voluntary with strict confidentiality protections for gathered information.

• Creates a Newborn Hearing Screening Cash Fund separate from existing newborn screening funds, with fees collected from screening programs deposited into this fund for program administration and operations.

• Appropriates $700,000 for information technology system development for hearing loss screening, $1,162,500 for laboratory space expansion and equipment, and $89,222 for center operations, effective July 1, 2018.