S-1027.1 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 5455
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State of Washington 52nd Legislature 1991 Regular Session
By Senators Saling, West, Rinehart, Murray, Stratton, L. Smith and Anderson.
Read first time January 31, 1991. Referred to Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care.
AN ACT Relating to heritable disorders; and amending RCW 70.83.010, 70.83.020, and 70.83.030.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 70.83.010 and 1977 ex.s. c 80 s 40 are each amended to read as follows:
It is hereby declared to be the policy of the state of Washington to make every effort to detect as early as feasible and to prevent where possible phenylketonuria, galactosemia, and other preventable heritable disorders leading to developmental disabilities or physical defects.
Sec. 2. RCW 70.83.020 and 1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 27 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
It shall be the duty of the department of social and health services to require screening tests of all newborn infants before they are discharged from the hospital for the detection of phenylketonuria, galactosemia, and other heritable or metabolic disorders leading to mental retardation or physical defects as defined by the state board of health: PROVIDED, That no such tests shall be given to any newborn infant whose parents or guardian object thereto on the grounds that such tests conflict with their religious tenets and practices.
Sec. 3. RCW 70.83.030 and 1979 c 141 s 113 are each amended to read as follows:
Laboratories, attending physicians, hospital administrators, or other persons performing or requesting the performance of tests for phenylketonuria and galactosemia, shall report to the department of social and health services all positive tests. The state board of health by rule and regulation shall, when it deems appropriate, require that positive tests for other heritable and metabolic disorders covered by this chapter be reported to the state department of social and health services by such persons or agencies requesting or performing such tests.