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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to mutual aid agreements for newborn screening laboratory |
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services. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 12, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 12.01221 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 12.01221. MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT FOR NEWBORN SCREENING |
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LABORATORY SERVICES. (a) In this section, "newborn screening |
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laboratory services" means the performance of tests to analyze |
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specimens collected as part of the newborn screenings performed |
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under Subchapter B, Chapter 33. |
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(b) Notwithstanding Section 12.0122 or other law, the |
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department may enter into a mutual aid agreement to provide newborn |
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screening laboratory services to another state and to receive |
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newborn screening laboratory services from another state in the |
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event of an unexpected interruption of service, including an |
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interruption caused by a disaster. |
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(c) Each mutual aid agreement under Subsection (b) shall |
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include provisions: |
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(1) to address the confidentiality of the identity of |
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the newborn child and the newborn child's family; and |
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(2) to ensure the return of blood specimens and |
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related records to the state that received the newborn screening |
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laboratory services. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |