TX SB1044

Adds Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) to Texas's mandatory newborn screening program, requiring physicians or birth attendants to test newborns for this progressive muscle degeneration disorder caused by alterations in the dystrophin protein

Requires the Department of State Health Services to establish and maintain laboratory capabilities to develop screening tests, diagnostic tools, and treatment methods for DMD

Mandates notification procedures when screening results suggest a newborn may have DMD, including alerting the specimen submitter, attending physician, parents, local health authorities, or cooperating pediatric specialists

Allows newborns and individuals under 21 who test presumptively positive for DMD to be referred to the department's services program for children with special health care needs, with services available to eligible individuals of any age upon confirmed diagnosis

Implementation is contingent on legislative appropriation of funds specifically for this purpose; takes effect September 1, 2025