H.B. No. 2255
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to newborn and infant hearing screening results and the
  provision of information following a screening.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 47.0031(b), Health and Safety Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  If a newborn or an infant does not pass the screening in
  a follow-up hearing screening, the program that performed the
  follow-up hearing screening on the newborn or infant shall:
               (1)  provide the screening results to:
                     (A)  the newborn's or infant's parents [with the
  screening results]; and
                     (B)  with the prior written consent of the
  newborn's or infant's parents, the primary statewide resource
  center established under Section 30.051, Education Code;
               (2)  assist in scheduling a diagnostic audiological
  evaluation for the newborn or infant, consistent with the most
  current guidelines in the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing
  Position Statement, or refer the newborn or infant to a licensed
  audiologist who provides diagnostic audiological evaluations for
  newborns or infants that are consistent with the most current
  guidelines in the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing Position
  Statement; and
               (3)  refer the newborn or infant to early childhood
  intervention services and the primary statewide resource center
  established under Section 30.051, Education Code.
         SECTION 2.  Section 47.005, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended by amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection
  (a-1) to read as follows:
         (a)  A birthing facility that operates a program shall
  simultaneously distribute to the parents of each newborn or infant
  who is screened:
               (1)  the screening results; and
               (2)  educational and informational materials that are
  standardized by the department regarding:
                     (A)  [screening results and] follow-up care; and
                     (B)  available public resources, including:
                           (i)  early childhood intervention services
  developed under Chapter 73, Human Resources Code;
                           (ii)  the primary statewide resource center
  established under Section 30.051, Education Code; and
                           (iii)  contact information for Texas Early
  Hearing Detection and Intervention.
         (a-1)  The department shall make available to the public on
  request the educational and informational materials described by
  Subsection (a)(2).
         (b)  A birthing facility that operates a program shall report
  screening results to:
               (1)  the parents;
               (2)  the newborn's or infant's attending physician,
  primary care physician, or other applicable health care provider;
  [and]
               (3)  the department; and
               (4)  the primary statewide resource center established
  under Section 30.051, Education Code.
         SECTION 3.  Section 47.008(c), Health and Safety Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (c)  The executive commissioner by rule shall develop
  guidelines to protect the confidentiality of patients in accordance
  with Chapter 159, Occupations Code, and require the written consent
  of a parent or guardian of a patient before any individually
  identifying information is provided to the department or the
  primary statewide resource center established under Section
  30.051, Education Code, as set out in this chapter. The department
  and center shall permit a parent or guardian at any time to withdraw
  information provided to the department or center under this
  chapter.
         SECTION 4.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
  of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
  Services Commission shall adopt rules as necessary to implement the
  changes in law made by this Act.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2255 was passed by the House on April
  10, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 146, Nays 0, 1 present, not
  voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2255 was passed by the Senate on May
  8, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
  APPROVED:  _____________________
                     Date          
   
            _____________________
                   Governor