HB77 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Phillip RigsbyRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Newborn Screening Panel, procedure for addition of conditions to panel, further provided for

Summary

HB77 would expand Alabama's newborn screening to include all conditions on the RUSP, require rules and timelines for adding new conditions, and tie testing and care to funding and program rules.

What This Bill Does

The bill requires the Alabama State Board of Health to add every condition on the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP) to the Newborn Screening Panel and allows adding other, non-RUSP conditions. It directs the Board to adopt rules for administering the screening program and to implement a clear timeline: within 36 months after a new RUSP condition is added, the Board must add it to the panel and begin screening for it; if a condition was added to RUSP before 2024, it must be added by October 1, 2027. If the Board misses deadlines, it must notify the State Health Officer in writing and post the notice on its website. Testing by the State Laboratory is contingent on available funding and staff, and the bill also covers initial mass screening, confirmatory testing, follow-up care for positive results, and potential program fees, while allowing religious exemptions with no liability for providers when a parent objects.

Who It Affects

• Newborns and their families in Alabama are affected because more conditions will be screened for, and positive results will lead to further care and potential dietary treatment.
• Healthcare providers, hospitals, and state agencies (including the State Board of Health and the State Laboratory) are affected because they must implement the screening, follow the new rules, manage timelines for adding conditions, and handle funding and staffing considerations.

Key Provisions

• The State Board of Health must include all RUSP conditions on the Newborn Screening Panel and may add other conditions not on the RUSP.
• The Board must adopt rules to administer the newborn screening program and the screening panel.
• New RUSP conditions must be added to the panel within 36 months of RUSP approval; conditions added to RUSP before 2024 must be added by October 1, 2027.
• If the deadline is missed, the Board must provide a written notice to the State Health Officer and post it on the Board's website.
• Testing is contingent on the availability of funding and workforce in the State Laboratory; initial mass screening is performed by the Public Health State Laboratory and confirmatory tests by designated labs.
• The Board may require testing for newborns with a known family history of certain diseases and screen for standard panel conditions (e.g., PKU, hypothyroidism, sickle cell) with tests designated as reliable by the Board.
• Rules must address care and treatment for newborns with positive tests, including dietary treatment where appropriate, and may include reasonable fees for the program.
• Religious objections to testing are allowed, and providers are not liable for failure to administer tests if parents object.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Health