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*hb1625*
HOUSE BILL 1625
J1 6lr3687
By: Delegate Hill Delegates Hill, Alston, Bagnall, Cullison, Guzzone, Hutchinson,
Kaufman, Lopez, Martinez, Reilly, Rosenberg, Ross, Taveras,
White Holland, and Woorman
Introduced and read first time: February 23, 2026
Assigned to: Rules and Executive Nominations
Re–referred to: Health, February 26, 2026
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 9, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Health – Newborn Screening Program – Fees and Core Conditions 2
FOR the purpose of altering the amount of fees the Maryland Department of Health may 3
establish for newborn testing under the newborn screening program; requiring the 4
State Advisory Council on Hereditary and Congenital Disorders to advise the 5
Department on certain information related to the implem entation of testing for a 6
core condition added to the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel and provide 7
recommendations regarding whether testing should be implemented; authorizing 8
the Department to take certain actions regarding the implementation for a cor e 9
condition added to the Panel; altering the reporting requirement related to the 10
implementation of core conditions added to the Panel; and generally relating to the 11
newborn screening program. 12
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 13
Article – Health – General 14
Section 13–111 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 17
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19
2 HOUSE BILL 1625
Article – Health – General 1
13–111. 2
(a) The Department shall establish a coordinated statewide system for screening 3
all newborn infants in the State for certain hereditary and congenital disorders associated 4
with severe problems of health or development, except when the parent or guardian of the 5
newborn infant objects. 6
(b) Except as provided in § 13–112 of this subtitle, the Department’s public health 7
laboratory is the sole laboratory authorized to perform tests on specimens from newborn 8
infants collected to screen for hereditary and congenital disorders as determined under 9
subsection (d)(2) of this section. 10
(c) The system for newborn screening shall include: 11
(1) Laboratory testing and the reporting of test results; and 12
(2) Follow–up activities to facilitate the rapid identification and treatment 13
of an affected child. 14
(d) In consultation with the State Advisory Council on Hereditary and Congenital 15
Disorders, the Department shall: 16
(1) Establish protocols for a health care provider to obtain and deliver test 17
specimens to the Department’s public health laboratory; 18
(2) Determine the screening tests that the Department’s public health 19
laboratory is required to perform; 20
(3) Maintain a coordinated statewide system for newborn screening that 21
carries out the purpose described in subsection (c) of this section that includes: 22
(i) Communicating the results of screening tests to the health care 23
provider of the newborn infant; 24
(ii) Locating newborn infants with abnormal test results; 25
(iii) Sharing newborn screening information betw een hospitals, 26
health care providers, treatment centers, and laboratory personnel; 27
(iv) Delivering needed clinical, diagnostic, and treatment 28
information to health care providers, parents, and caregivers; and 29
(v) Notifying parents and guardians of newborn infants that 30
laboratories other than the Department’s public health laboratory are authorized to 31
HOUSE BILL 1625 3
perform postscreening confirmatory or diagnostic tests on newborn infants for hereditary 1
and congenital disorders; and 2
(4) Adopt regulations that set forth the standards and requirements for 3
newborn screening for hereditary and congenital disorders that are required under this 4
subtitle, including: 5
(i) Performing newborn screening tests; 6
(ii) Coordinating the reporting, follow –up, and treatme nt activities 7
with parents, caregivers, and health care providers; and 8
(iii) Establishing fees for newborn screening [that do not exceed] IN 9
an amount THAT IS NOT LESS THA N THE AMOUNT THAT IS sufficient to cover the 10
administrative, laboratory, and foll ow–up costs associated with the performance of 11
screening tests under this subtitle. 12
(e) (1) (i) The Department shall screen for each core condition listed in the 13
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Recommended Uniform Screening Panel 14
AS OF MAY 31 JANUARY 1, 2026. 15
(ii) [Subject to subparagraph (iii) of this paragraph, the Department 16
shall implement testing for a core condition within 1 year and 6 months after the core 17
condition is added to the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel] IF A CORE CONDITION 18
IS ADDED TO THE RECOMMENDED UNIFORM SCREENING PANEL, THE ADVISORY 19
COUNCIL SHALL: 20
1. ADVISE THE DEPARTMENT ON THE RIS KS, HARMS, 21
ACCESSIBILITY, AND COSTS OF IMPLEMENTING TESTING FOR THE CONDITION; AND 22
2. PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIO NS ON WHETHER T HE 23
DEPARTMENT SHOULD IMPLEMENT TESTING FOR THE CONDITION. 24
(III) IF A CORE CONDITION I S ADDED TO THE RECOMMENDED 25
UNIFORM SCREENING PANEL, THE DEPARTMENT MAY, AFTER CONSIDERING TH E 26
ADVICE AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ADVISORY COUNCIL: 27
1. IMPLEMENT TESTING FOR THE CORE CONDITION; 28
2. DELAY THE IMPLEMENTAT ION OF TESTING FOR T HE 29
CORE CONDITION; OR 30
3. DECIDE NOT TO IMPLEMENT TESTING FOR THE CORE 31
CONDITION. 32
4 HOUSE BILL 1625
[(iii)] (IV) 1. If the Department DECIDES TO IMPLEMENT 1
TESTING FOR A CORE C ONDITION, BUT is unable to implement testing within [1 year 2
and 6 months ] 2 YEARS after a core condition is added to the Recommended Uniform 3
Screening Panel due to a delay in the procurement of equipment or supplie s needed to 4
implement the testing, the Department shall report to the Senate Finance Committee and 5
the House Health [and Government Operations] Committee, in accordance with § 2–1257 6
of the State Government Article, within 1 year and 3 months after the addition of the core 7
condition to the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel and every 3 months thereafter 8
until the testing for the core condition is implemented. 9
2. IF THE DEPARTMENT DECIDES NO T TO IMPLEMENT 10
TESTING FOR THE CORE CONDITION OR DECIDES TO DELAY IMPLEMENTATION FOR 11
A PERIOD OF MORE THA N 2 YEARS, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL REPO RT TO THE 12
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE HOUSE HEALTH COMMITTEE, IN 13
ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, WITHIN 1 14
YEAR AND 3 MONTHS AFTER THE ADD ITION O F THE CORE CONDITION TO THE 15
RECOMMENDED UNIFORM SCREENING PANEL. 16
[2.] 3. A report required under [subsubparagraph] 17
SUBSUBPARAGRAPHS 1 OR 2 of this subparagraph shall include [the reason for the 18
delay]: 19
A. THE JUSTIFICATION FOR TH E DECISION TO NOT 20
IMPLEMENT TESTING; OR 21
B. THE JUSTIFICATION FOR DELAYING THE 22
IMPLEMENTATION OF TESTING and the anticipated timeline for implementation. 23
(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if the Secretary of Health 24
and Human Services issues federal rec ommendations on critical congenital heart disease 25
screening of newborns, the Department shall adopt the federal screening recommendations. 26
(3) The Department may screen for any condition recommended by the 27
Advisory Council and approved by the Secretary. 28
(f) (1) The Secretary shall pay all fees collected under the provisions of this 29
subtitle to the Comptroller. 30
(2) The Comptroller shall distribute the fees to the Newborn Screening 31
Program Fund established under § 13–113 of this subtitle. 32
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 33
1, 2026. 34