Bill > SB0060

This bill amends Utah's law on newborn infant testing by expanding the required screening tests. Currently, newborns are tested for phenylketonuria (PKU), certain heritable disorders that could cause intellectual or physical disability, and hearing loss. The bill adds a new mandatory test for pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency (PDCD), but only if a preventative measure or treatment is available and a reliable diagnostic test exists. The bill clarifies the existing requirements for testing heritable disorders and simplifies the language around hearing loss testing, which will now apply to all newborns regardless of the birthing location. The bill maintains provisions allowing parents to object to testing on religious grounds and allows the state department to charge fees for test materials, laboratory analyses, and administrative follow-up. The testing for hearing loss will continue to use approved methods like auditory brainstem response and evoked otoacoustic emissions, and test results will still be reported to the department, parents, early intervention programs, and the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind when additional medical intervention might be necessary. The bill is set to take effect on May 7, 2025.

Health and Social Services

https://le.utah.gov/~2025/bills/static/SB0060.html