Chapter 32A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 17I, the following section:-

Section 17J

Section 1.Chapter 32A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 17J, the following section:-

Be it enacted that birthing facilities shall be required to perform pulse oximetry screening. The Department of Public Health shall require each birthing facility to perform a pulse oximetry screening on every newborn in its care prior to discharge from the birthing facility.

SECTION 2. Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting in the following language in section 67F,:-

Section 67F "birthing facility" means an inpatient or ambulatory health care facility licensed by the Department of Public Health that provides birthing and newborn care services.

“pulse oximetry screening” means a non-invasive test that estimates the percentage of hemoglobin in blood that is saturated with oxygen; when performed on a newborns in delivery centers is effective at detecting critical, life-threatening congenital heart defects which otherwise go undetected by current screening methods

Each hospital and birthing center which provides newborn infant care shall submit to the department for its approval a protocol for newborn pulse oximetry screening.

The Department of Public Health shall promulgate regulations to implement the newborn pulse oximetry screening program.