Amendment ID: S2609-63

Amendment 63

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome and Newborn Substance Exposure

Messrs. O'Connor, Ross and Lesser move that the proposed new text be amended by inserting the following:-

SECTION XX. There shall be an interagency task force to conduct a survey to collect and update data on newborns born in the Commonwealth with neonatal abstinence syndrome and substance-exposed newborns.

The task force shall be comprised of the following members or their designees: the secretary of health and human services, who shall serve as co-chair; the attorney general, who shall serve as co-chair; the commissioner of children and families; the commissioner of mental health; the commissioner of public health; and the executive director of the health policy commission.

The data collected shall be considered together with the recommendations of the interagency task force on newborns with neonatal abstinence syndrome established in Section 171 of Chapter 133 of the Acts of 2016.

SECTION YY. Notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, there shall be a special senate committee to analyze the unified statewide plan formed by the interagency task force on newborns with neonatal abstinence syndrome established in Section 171 of Chapter 133 of the Acts of 2016.

The committee shall develop legislation to codify the unified statewide plan.