BILL NUMBER: AB 1307	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Buchanan

                        FEBRUARY 27, 2009

   An act to amend Section 125001 of the Health and Safety Code,
relating to newborn screening, and making an appropriation thereof.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1307, as introduced, Buchanan. Newborn genetic screening.
   Existing law requires that the State Department of Public Health
establish a statewide program for the screening of newborns for
specified genetic disorders, including tandem mass spectrometry
screening for fatty acid oxidation, amino acid, and organic acid
disorders and congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Existing law creates
the Genetic Disease Testing Fund in the State Treasury, which is used
to fund the newborn screening program.
   This bill would, instead, require the statewide screening program
to include all conditions recommended by the American College of
Medical Genetics as of January 1, 2010. Because this bill would
expand the purposes of the screening program it constitutes an
appropriation.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 125001 of the Health and Safety Code is amended
to read:
   125001.  (a) The department shall establish a program for the
development, provision, and evaluation of genetic disease testing,
and may provide laboratory testing facilities or make grants to,
contract with, or make payments to, any laboratory that it deems
qualified and cost-effective to conduct testing or with any metabolic
specialty clinic to provide necessary treatment with qualified
specialists. The program shall provide genetic screening and followup
services for persons who have the screening.
   (b) The department shall expand statewide screening of newborns to
include  tandem mass spectrometry screening for fatty acid
oxidation, amino acid, and organic acid disorders and congenital
adrenal hyperplasia   all conditions recommended by the
American College of Medical Genetics as of January 1, 2010,  as
soon as possible. The department shall provide information with
respect to these disorders and available testing resources to all
women receiving prenatal care and to all women admitted to a hospital
for delivery. If the department is unable to provide this statewide
screening by August 1, 2005, the department shall temporarily obtain
these testing services through a competitive bid process from one or
more public or private laboratories that meet the department's
requirements for testing, quality assurance, and reporting. If the
department determines that contracting for these services is more
cost-effective, and meets the other requirements of this chapter,
than purchasing the tandem mass spectrometry equipment themselves,
the department shall contract with one or more public or private
laboratories.
   (c) The department shall report to the Legislature regarding the
progress of the program on or before July 1, 2006. The report shall
include the costs for screening, followup, and treatment as compared
to costs and morbidity averted for each condition tested for in the
program.