H. B. 3143
(By Delegates Spencer, Manuel and Webster)
[Introduced February 21, 2003; referred to the
Committee on Health and Human Resources then Finance.]
A BILL to amend and reenact section two, article twenty-two,
chapter sixteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand
nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to testing of
newborns for sickle cell disease.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section two, article twenty-two, chapter sixteen of the
code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 22. DETECTION AND CONTROL OF PHENYLKETONURIA,
GALACTOSEMIA, HYPOTHYROIDISM, AND CERTAIN
OTHER DISEASES IN NEWBORN CHILDREN.
§16-22-2. Program to combat mental retardation or other severe
health hazards; rules; facilities for making tests.
The state bureau of public health is hereby authorized to
establish and carry out a program designed to combat mental retardation or other severe health hazards in our state's
population due to phenylketonuria, galactosemia, hypothyroidism,
sickle cell disease and certain other diseases specified by the
state public health commissioner, and may adopt reasonable rules
and regulations necessary to carry out such a program. The bureau
of public health shall establish and maintain facilities at its
state hygienic laboratory for testing specimens for the detection
of phenylketonuria, galactosemia, hypothyroidism, sickle cell
disease and certain other diseases specified by the state public
health commissioner. Tests shall be made by such laboratory of
specimens upon request by physicians, hospital medical personnel
and other individuals attending newborn infants. The state bureau
of public health is authorized to establish additional laboratories
throughout the state to perform tests for the detection of
phenylketonuria, galactosemia, hypothyroidism, sickle cell disease
and certain other diseases specified by the state public health
commissioner.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide for the
screening of newborn children for sickle cell disease.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.