S-4284.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6694

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1998 Regular Session

By Senators Patterson, Long, Heavey, Prentice, Haugen, Fraser, Spanel, B. Sheldon, Snyder, Bauer, Wojahn and Schow

Read first time 01/27/98.  Referred to Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care.

Requiring newborn screening for exposure to harmful drugs.

    AN ACT Relating to newborn screening for exposure to harmful drugs; adding a new chapter to Title 70 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The policy of the state of Washington is to make every effort to detect as early as feasible and to prevent where possible preventable disorders resulting from parental use of alcohol and drugs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  The department of health, in consultation with appropriate medical professionals, shall develop screening criteria for use in identifying pregnant or lactating women addicted to drugs or alcohol who are at risk of producing a drug-affected baby.  The department shall also develop training protocols for medical professionals related to the identification and screening of women at risk of producing a drug-affected baby.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  The department of health shall investigate medical protocols for laboratory testing of newborn infants for exposure to alcohol or drugs.  The department of health shall consider how to improve the current system with respect to testing, considering such variables as whether such testing is available, its cost, which entity is currently responsible for ordering testing, and whether testing should be mandatory or targeted.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  The department of health shall report to the appropriate legislative committees on its findings under sections 2 and 3 of this act by December 1, 1998.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.  The department of health shall adopt rules necessary to carry out the intent of this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6.  Sections 1 through 4 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 70 RCW.

                            --- END ---