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House Bill 1672 |
House Author: Crownover et al. |
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Effective: 5-27-09 |
Senate Sponsor: Deuell |
House Bill 1672 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to include sickle-cell trait in the newborn screening program and to develop a disclosure statement for the parent, managing conservator, or guardian of a newborn child relating to the management and use of genetic material used in newborn screenings. The bill sets out requirements and procedures for the form, content, and distribution of the disclosure statement. The bill authorizes the parent, managing conservator, or guardian of a newborn child to file a written statement prohibiting the retention of genetic material and requires the material to be destroyed not later than the 60th day after DSHS receives the statement. The bill provides for the confidentiality and disclosure of information obtained or developed by DSHS under the phenylketonuria, other heritable diseases, hypothyroidism, and other disorders detection and treatment program. The bill requires the speaker of the house of representatives to charge a house standing committee or select members to form a committee to conduct an interim study on newborn screening in Texas. The committee must file a report with both houses of the legislature on the results of the study not later than December 15, 2010.