Newborn screening additions

AN ACT Relating to ensuring timely, efficient, and evidence-based 1
additions to newborn screenings; amending RCW 70.83.020, 70.83.023, 2
and 70.83.030; reenacting and amending RCW 43.79A.040 and 43.79A.040; 3
adding a new section to chapter 70.83 RCW; adding a new section to 4
chapter 43.70 RCW; creating a new section; providing an effective 5
date; and providing an expiration date. 6
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:7
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature recognizes the critical 8
importance of newborn screenings in identifying rare genetic and 9
metabolic conditions that can otherwise go undiagnosed, leading to 10
irreversible harm. The legislature recognizes the department of 11
health's newborn screening program currently tests newborns for 32 12
rare congenital conditions through drops of blood collected within 13
the first days and weeks of birth and funded through a one-time fee 14
generally billed through the birthing facility. Further, the 15
legislature recognizes that the federal recommended uniform screening 16
panel is established and periodically updated through a science-based 17
and deliberative review process by a national committee of experts in 18
newborn screening and rare disease. It is the intent of the 19
legislature that additions to the newborn screening panel be timely, 20
efficient, and evidence-based, and that this be achieved by 21
H-0837.1
HOUSE BILL 1697
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Stonier, Parshley, Reed, and Hill
Read first time 01/29/25. Referred to Committee on Health Care &
Wellness.
p. 1 HB 1697
leveraging the recommended uniform screening panel, ensuring intra-1
agency coordination, requiring focused feasibility reviews, and 2
ensuring fees collected for newborn screenings are readily available 3
to implement the requirements under chapter 70.83 RCW. Furthermore, 4
the legislature intends to protect the ability of the public to 5
petition for additions to the newborn screening panel outside of the 6
recommended uniform screening panel. 7
Sec. 2. RCW 70.83.020 and 2014 c 18 s 1 are each amended to read 8
as follows: 9
(1) It shall be the duty of the department of health to require 10
screening tests of all newborn infants born in any setting. Each 11
hospital or health care provider attending a birth outside of a 12
hospital shall collect and submit a sample blood specimen for all 13
newborns no more than ((forty-eight)) 48 hours following birth.14
(2) The department of health shall conduct screening tests of 15
samples for the detection of ((phenylketonuria and other heritable or 16
metabolic disorders leading to intellectual disabilities or physical 17
defects as defined )) the conditions listed in the newborn screening 18
panel determined by the state board of health in rule as required 19
under section 3 of this act : PROVIDED, That no such tests shall be 20
given to any newborn infant whose parents or guardian object thereto 21
on the grounds that such tests conflict with their religious tenets 22
and practices. 23
(((2))) (3) The sample required in subsection (1) of this section 24
must be received by the department (([of health] )) of health within 25
((seventy-two)) 72 hours of the collection of the sample, excluding 26
any day that the Washington state public health laboratory is closed.27
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 70.83 28
RCW to read as follows: 29
(1) By July 1, 2026, the state board of health shall reestablish 30
in rule the newborn screening panel that newborns must be screened 31
under RCW 70.83.020. In reestablishing the initial newborn screening 32
panel, the state board of health shall include: 33
(a) All conditions newborns must be screened for as required by 34
the existing state board of health rules as of January 1, 2025;35
(b) All conditions included in the existing federal recommended 36
uniform screening panel as of January 1, 2025. 37
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(2) Within 12 months of the addition of a new condition to the 1
federal recommended uniform screening panel, the state board of 2
health shall determine whether to add that new condition to the 3
newborn screening panel. In making its determination, the state board 4
of health must avoid duplicating research and evaluation efforts 5
leading to the addition of the condition to the federal recommended 6
uniform screening panel, and complete and consider the findings of a 7
feasibility review. 8
(a) The feasibility review must identify costs to screen for the 9
condition, federal funding available to aid implementation of the 10
screening of the new condition, recommendations of changes to the fee 11
charged for the newborn screening, and a timeline for including the 12
new condition on the newborn screening panel. 13
(b) In conducting the feasibility review, the board shall consult 14
with the health care authority to ensure consideration of impacts on 15
state purchased health care programs under chapter 41.05 RCW and 16
medical care programs under chapter 74.09 RCW and with the department 17
of health. 18
(c) If the board determines that the condition should be included 19
in the newborn screening panel, the board shall complete rule making 20
to include the condition in the newborn screening panel within 12 21
months of the determination. 22
(3) Members of the public may request that the state board of 23
health consider additions to the newborn screening panel.24
(a) The board shall adopt standards for reviewing such requests 25
to determine whether there is sufficient scientific evidence 26
available to evaluate the proposed addition. 27
(b) For proposed additions that have sufficient scientific 28
evidence to conduct an evaluation, the board shall conduct a 29
feasibility review as described in subsection (2)(a) and (b) of this 30
section. 31
(c) In addition to the feasibility review, the board must also 32
consider: 33
(i) Whether screening technology exists that can be made 34
available to mass screen newborns; 35
(ii) The availability of diagnostic testing, treatment, and 36
interventions; and 37
(iii) The need for population-based rather than risk-based 38
screening or other approaches. 39
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(d) If the board determines that the condition should be included 1
in the newborn screening panel, the board shall complete rule making 2
to include the condition in the newborn screening panel within 12 3
months of the determination. 4
(4) The board may add other new conditions to the newborn 5
screening panel in rule if it completes the feasibility review as 6
described in subsection (2)(a) and (b) of this section.7
(5) The board shall adopt rules as necessary to implement and 8
administer this section. 9
Sec. 4. RCW 70.83.023 and 2010 1st sp.s. c 17 s 1 are each 10
amended to read as follows: 11
(1) The department of health under its authority in RCW 12
43.20B.020 may charge and collect a reasonable fee from parents, 13
guardians, or responsible parties for the costs of newborn screening.14
(2) The department of health has the authority to collect a fee 15
of ((eight dollars and forty cents )) $8.40 from the parents or other 16
responsible party of each infant screened for congenital disorders as 17
defined by the state board of health under RCW 70.83.020 to fund 18
specialty clinics that provide treatment services for those with the 19
defined disorders. The fee may also be used to support organizations 20
conducting community outreach, education, and adult support related 21
to sickle cell disease. The fee collected under this subsection is in 22
addition to the fee collected by the department of health for the 23
purposes of the newborn screening under subsection (1) of this 24
section.25
(3) The ((fee)) fees authorized under this section may be 26
collected through the facility where a screening specimen is 27
obtained. 28
Sec. 5. RCW 70.83.030 and 1991 c 3 s 349 are each amended to 29
read as follows: 30
Laboratories, attending physicians, hospital administrators, or 31
other persons performing or requesting the performance of tests for 32
((phenylketonuria)) the diseases and conditions on the newborn 33
screening panel under this chapter shall report to the department of 34
health all positive tests. ((The state board of health by rule shall, 35
when it deems appropriate, require that positive tests for other 36
heritable and metabolic disorders covered by this chapter be reported 37
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to the state department of health by such persons or agencies 1
requesting or performing such tests.))2
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. A new section is added to chapter 43.70 3
RCW to read as follows: 4
The newborn screening revenue account is created in the custody 5
of the state treasurer. All receipts collected under chapter 70.83 6
RCW must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account 7
may only be used for activities directly related to implementing and 8
administering chapter 70.83 RCW. Only the secretary or the 9
secretary's designee may authorize expenditure from the account. The 10
account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, 11
but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.12
Sec. 7. RCW 43.79A.040 and 2024 c 327 s 16 and 2024 c 168 s 10 13
are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:14
(1) Money in the treasurer's trust fund may be deposited, 15
invested, and reinvested by the state treasurer in accordance with 16
RCW 43.84.080 in the same manner and to the same extent as if the 17
money were in the state treasury, and may be commingled with moneys 18
in the state treasury for cash management and cash balance purposes.19
(2) All income received from investment of the treasurer's trust 20
fund must be set aside in an account in the treasury trust fund to be 21
known as the investment income account. 22
(3) The investment income account may be utilized for the payment 23
of purchased banking services on behalf of treasurer's trust funds 24
including, but not limited to, depository, safekeeping, and 25
disbursement functions for the state treasurer or affected state 26
agencies. The investment income account is subject in all respects to 27
chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for payments to 28
financial institutions. Payments must occur prior to distribution of 29
earnings set forth in subsection (4) of this section.30
(4)(a) Monthly, the state treasurer must distribute the earnings 31
credited to the investment income account to the state general fund 32
except under (b), (c), and (d) of this subsection.33
(b) The following accounts and funds must receive their 34
proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's or fund's 35
average daily balance for the period: The 24/7 sobriety account, the 36
Washington promise scholarship account, the Gina Grant Bull memorial 37
legislative page scholarship account, the Rosa Franklin legislative 38
p. 5 HB 1697
internship program scholarship account, the Washington advanced 1
college tuition payment program account, the Washington college 2
savings program account, the accessible communities account, the 3
Washington achieving a better life experience program account, the 4
Washington career and college pathways innovation challenge program 5
account, the community and technical college innovation account, the 6
agricultural local fund, the American Indian scholarship endowment 7
fund, the behavioral health loan repayment and scholarship program 8
account, the Billy Frank Jr. national statuary hall collection fund, 9
the foster care scholarship endowment fund, the foster care endowed 10
scholarship trust fund, the contract harvesting revolving account, 11
the Washington state combined fund drive account, the commemorative 12
works account, the county 911 excise tax account, the county road 13
administration board emergency loan account, the toll collection 14
account, the developmental disabilities endowment trust fund, the 15
energy account, the energy facility site evaluation council account, 16
the fair fund, the family and medical leave insurance account, the 17
Fern Lodge maintenance account, the fish and wildlife federal lands 18
revolving account, the natural resources federal lands revolving 19
account, the food animal veterinarian conditional scholarship 20
account, the forest health revolving account, the fruit and vegetable 21
inspection account, the educator conditional scholarship account, the 22
game farm alternative account, the GET ready for math and science 23
scholarship account, the Washington global health technologies and 24
product development account, the grain inspection revolving fund, the 25
Washington history day account, the industrial insurance rainy day 26
fund, the juvenile accountability incentive account, the law 27
enforcement officers' and firefighters' plan 2 expense fund, the 28
local tourism promotion account, the low-income home rehabilitation 29
account, the medication for people living with HIV rebate revenue 30
account, the newborn screening revenue account, the homeowner 31
recovery account, the multiagency permitting team account, the 32
northeast Washington wolf-livestock management account, the pollution 33
liability insurance program trust account, the produce railcar pool 34
account, the public use general aviation airport loan revolving 35
account, the regional transportation investment district account, the 36
rural rehabilitation account, the Washington sexual assault kit 37
account, the stadium and exhibition center account, the youth 38
athletic facility account, the self-insurance revolving fund, the 39
children's trust fund, the Washington horse racing commission 40
p. 6 HB 1697
Washington bred owners' bonus fund and breeder awards account, the 1
Washington horse racing commission class C purse fund account, the 2
individual development account program account, the Washington horse 3
racing commission operating account, the life sciences discovery 4
fund, the Washington state library-archives building account, the 5
reduced cigarette ignition propensity account, the center for deaf 6
and hard of hearing youth account, the school for the blind account, 7
the Millersylvania park trust fund, the public employees' and 8
retirees' insurance reserve fund, the school employees' benefits 9
board insurance reserve fund, the public employees' and retirees' 10
insurance account, the school employees' insurance account, the long-11
term services and supports trust account, the radiation perpetual 12
maintenance fund, the Indian health improvement reinvestment account, 13
the department of licensing tuition recovery trust fund, the student 14
achievement council tuition recovery trust fund, the tuition recovery 15
trust fund, the industrial insurance premium refund account, the 16
mobile home park relocation fund, the natural resources deposit fund, 17
the Washington state health insurance pool account, the federal 18
forest revolving account, the Washington saves administrative 19
treasury trust account, and the library operations account.20
(c) The following accounts and funds must receive 80 percent of 21
their proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's or 22
fund's average daily balance for the period: The advance right-of-way 23
revolving fund, the advanced environmental mitigation revolving 24
account, the federal narcotics asset forfeitures account, the high 25
occupancy vehicle account, the local rail service assistance account, 26
and the miscellaneous transportation programs account.27
(d) Any state agency that has independent authority over accounts 28
or funds not statutorily required to be held in the custody of the 29
state treasurer that deposits funds into a fund or account in the 30
custody of the state treasurer pursuant to an agreement with the 31
office of the state treasurer shall receive its proportionate share 32
of earnings based upon each account's or fund's average daily balance 33
for the period. 34
(5) In conformance with Article II, section 37 of the state 35
Constitution, no trust accounts or funds shall be allocated earnings 36
without the specific affirmative directive of this section.37
Sec. 8. RCW 43.79A.040 and 2024 c 327 s 17 and 2024 c 168 s 11 38
are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:39
p. 7 HB 1697
(1) Money in the treasurer's trust fund may be deposited, 1
invested, and reinvested by the state treasurer in accordance with 2
RCW 43.84.080 in the same manner and to the same extent as if the 3
money were in the state treasury, and may be commingled with moneys 4
in the state treasury for cash management and cash balance purposes.5
(2) All income received from investment of the treasurer's trust 6
fund must be set aside in an account in the treasury trust fund to be 7
known as the investment income account. 8
(3) The investment income account may be utilized for the payment 9
of purchased banking services on behalf of treasurer's trust funds 10
including, but not limited to, depository, safekeeping, and 11
disbursement functions for the state treasurer or affected state 12
agencies. The investment income account is subject in all respects to 13
chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for payments to 14
financial institutions. Payments must occur prior to distribution of 15
earnings set forth in subsection (4) of this section.16
(4)(a) Monthly, the state treasurer must distribute the earnings 17
credited to the investment income account to the state general fund 18
except under (b), (c), and (d) of this subsection.19
(b) The following accounts and funds must receive their 20
proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's or fund's 21
average daily balance for the period: The 24/7 sobriety account, the 22
Washington promise scholarship account, the Gina Grant Bull memorial 23
legislative page scholarship account, the Rosa Franklin legislative 24
internship program scholarship account, the Washington advanced 25
college tuition payment program account, the Washington college 26
savings program account, the accessible communities account, the 27
Washington achieving a better life experience program account, the 28
Washington career and college pathways innovation challenge program 29
account, the community and technical college innovation account, the 30
agricultural local fund, the American Indian scholarship endowment 31
fund, the behavioral health loan repayment and scholarship program 32
account, the Billy Frank Jr. national statuary hall collection fund, 33
the foster care scholarship endowment fund, the foster care endowed 34
scholarship trust fund, the contract harvesting revolving account, 35
the Washington state combined fund drive account, the commemorative 36
works account, the county 911 excise tax account, the county road 37
administration board emergency loan account, the toll collection 38
account, the developmental disabilities endowment trust fund, the 39
energy account, the energy facility site evaluation council account, 40
p. 8 HB 1697
the fair fund, the family and medical leave insurance account, the 1
Fern Lodge maintenance account, the fish and wildlife federal lands 2
revolving account, the natural resources federal lands revolving 3
account, the food animal veterinarian conditional scholarship 4
account, the forest health revolving account, the fruit and vegetable 5
inspection account, the educator conditional scholarship account, the 6
game farm alternative account, the GET ready for math and science 7
scholarship account, the Washington global health technologies and 8
product development account, the grain inspection revolving fund, the 9
Washington history day account, the industrial insurance rainy day 10
fund, the juvenile accountability incentive account, the law 11
enforcement officers' and firefighters' plan 2 expense fund, the 12
local tourism promotion account, the low-income home rehabilitation 13
account, the medication for people living with HIV rebate revenue 14
account, the newborn screening revenue account, the homeowner 15
recovery account, the multiagency permitting team account, the 16
northeast Washington wolf-livestock management account, the produce 17
railcar pool account, the public use general aviation airport loan 18
revolving account, the regional transportation investment district 19
account, the rural rehabilitation account, the Washington sexual 20
assault kit account, the stadium and exhibition center account, the 21
youth athletic facility account, the self-insurance revolving fund, 22
the children's trust fund, the Washington horse racing commission 23
Washington bred owners' bonus fund and breeder awards account, the 24
Washington horse racing commission class C purse fund account, the 25
individual development account program account, the Washington horse 26
racing commission operating account, the life sciences discovery 27
fund, the Washington state library-archives building account, the 28
reduced cigarette ignition propensity account, the center for deaf 29
and hard of hearing youth account, the school for the blind account, 30
the Millersylvania park trust fund, the public employees' and 31
retirees' insurance reserve fund, the school employees' benefits 32
board insurance reserve fund, the public employees' and retirees' 33
insurance account, the school employees' insurance account, the long-34
term services and supports trust account, the radiation perpetual 35
maintenance fund, the Indian health improvement reinvestment account, 36
the department of licensing tuition recovery trust fund, the student 37
achievement council tuition recovery trust fund, the tuition recovery 38
trust fund, the industrial insurance premium refund account, the 39
mobile home park relocation fund, the natural resources deposit fund, 40
p. 9 HB 1697
the Washington state health insurance pool account, the federal 1
forest revolving account, the Washington saves administrative 2
treasury trust account, and the library operations account.3
(c) The following accounts and funds must receive 80 percent of 4
their proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's or 5
fund's average daily balance for the period: The advance right-of-way 6
revolving fund, the advanced environmental mitigation revolving 7
account, the federal narcotics asset forfeitures account, the high 8
occupancy vehicle account, the local rail service assistance account, 9
and the miscellaneous transportation programs account.10
(d) Any state agency that has independent authority over accounts 11
or funds not statutorily required to be held in the custody of the 12
state treasurer that deposits funds into a fund or account in the 13
custody of the state treasurer pursuant to an agreement with the 14
office of the state treasurer shall receive its proportionate share 15
of earnings based upon each account's or fund's average daily balance 16
for the period. 17
(5) In conformance with Article II, section 37 of the state 18
Constitution, no trust accounts or funds shall be allocated earnings 19
without the specific affirmative directive of this section.20
NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Section 7 of this act expires July 1, 21
2030.22
NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. Section 8 of this act takes effect July 23
1, 2030.24
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