Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for HB0480

Creates the Newborn Eye Pathology Act. Establishes the Newborn Eye Pathology Screening Task Force to advise the Department of Public Health on newborn eye pathology screening protocol. Provides that the Department, in consultation with representatives of the Newborn Eye Pathology Task Force, shall adopt the protocol developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics to optimally detect the presence of treatable causes of blindness in infants by 2 months of age. Provides that the Act shall not be construed to supersede the clinical judgment of the licensed health care provider or a parent or guardian of a newborn who objects to the examination on the grounds that the examination conflicts with his or her religious beliefs or practices.

Deletes everything. Creates the Newborn Eye Pathology Act. Provides policy and legislative findings. Establishes the Newborn Eye Pathology Screening Advisory Committee and sets forth duties for the Advisory Committee. Requires the Department of Human Services to adopt the protocol developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics to optimally detect the presence of treatable causes of blindness in infants by 2 months of age. Requires hospitals to conduct eye screenings of newborns prior to discharge. Provides that the Act shall not be construed to supersede the clinical judgment of the licensed health care provider or a parent or guardian of a newborn who objects to the examination on the grounds that the examination conflicts with his or her religious beliefs or practices. Requires hospitals to report information about each child with a positive eye screening result to the Illinois Department of Public Health. Requires the Illinois Department of Public Health to maintain a registry of cases of positive eye screening results, including information needed for the purpose of follow-up service. Requires the Department of Human Services to adopt rules. Effective July 1, 2005.

Provides that a duty of the Advisory Committee is to conduct training for hospitals implementing newborn eye pathology (rather than hearing) screening.

Deletes everything. Creates the Newborn Eye Pathology Act. Provides policy. Establishes the Newborn Eye Pathology Advisory Committee and sets forth duties for the Advisory Committee. Requires all hospitals to report information on all congenital abnormalities or diseases of the eye detected in newborns prior to discharge from the hospital to the Department of Public Health. Requires the Department of Public Health to maintain a registry of cases of reported congenital abnormalities or diseases of the eye in newborns, including information needed for the purpose of follow-up service. Provides that any person or hospital making a report shall be immune from any civil or criminal liability that may result by reason of making a report, except for willful or wanton misconduct. Requires the Department of Public Health to adopt rules. Effective July 1, 2005.

Includes in the Newborn Eye Pathology Advisory Committee an optometrist with a background in or experience with pupil dilation in infants and red reflex screening for intraocular pathology.

Includes in the Newborn Eye Pathology Advisory Committee 2 community pediatricians (rather than one). Provides that all hospitals shall report information on all congenital abnormalities and diseases of the eye detected in newborns (rather than in newborns prior to discharge from the hospital) to the Department of Public Health. Provides that reports shall be made to the Department's Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Reporting System.

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