| TO: | Honorable Lois W. Kolkhorst, Chair, House Committee on Public Health |
| FROM: | John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB229 by Nelson (Relating to newborn hearing screenings and hearing services for certain children.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted |
The bill would amend Chapter 47 of the Health and Safety Code by revising the definition of birthing facility to include more facilities. A licensed midwife who attends the birth of a newborn is not required to offer a hearing screening for the newborn but would be required to refer the parents to a birthing facility or provider for their newborn's screening. The bill would require specified facilities to report resulting information to the Department of State Health Services. The bill also describes duties of providers that receive a referral from a program under this chapter. The bill would take effect September 1, 2011.
The Department of State Health Services indicates that the bill would have no significant fiscal impact because the majority of facilities that would be affected by the change in statute are already reporting screening results, and promulgation of rules would be accomplished with existing staff resources.
| Source Agencies: | 537 State Health Services, Department of
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, CL, MB, VJC, NB
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