Bill > SB1044

This bill amends the Texas Health and Safety Code to include Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in the state's newborn screening program. DMD is defined as a progressive muscular degeneration disorder caused by alterations in the protein dystrophin, characterized by progressive muscle weakness. The bill requires physicians or delivery attendants to subject newborn children to screening tests for DMD, alongside existing screenings for other heritable diseases and conditions. If a newborn screening test suggests a potential DMD diagnosis, the Department of State Health Services must notify relevant parties, including physicians, parents, and health authorities, and recommend further testing. The bill also allows for potential referral of children who test presumptively positive for DMD to the department's services program for children with special health care needs, and permits the department to provide services to individuals with a confirmed positive DMD test, subject to available funding. The implementation of these changes is contingent on specific legislative appropriations, and the bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025, with the goal of improving early detection and support for children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Health and Social Services

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB1044