Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S805 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2084 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 805
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Patrick M. O'Connor
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act relative to PANDAS/PANS screening in medical/clinical settings.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and Norfolk 1 of 3
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2084 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 805
18	18	By Mr. O'Connor, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 805) of Patrick M. O'Connor
19	19	relative to PANDAS/PANS screening in medical/clinical settings. Financial Services.
20	20	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
21	21	SEE HOUSE, NO. 3920 OF 2023-2024.]
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
25	25	(2025-2026)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act relative to PANDAS/PANS screening in medical/clinical settings.
28	28	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
29	29	of the same, as follows:
30	30	1 SECTION 1. Section 17R of chapter 32A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020
31	31	2Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “for”, in line 3, the following
32	32	3words:- screening and.
33	33	4 SECTION 2. Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
34	34	5section 242 the following section:-
35	35	6 Section 242A. (a) For all children, the department shall establish a program for screening
36	36	7of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections,
37	37	8hereinafter referred to as PANDAS and pediatric acute onset neuropsychiatric syndrome,
38	38	9hereinafter referred to as PANS, which shall adhere to the recommendations developed by a
39	39	10medical professional consortium convened by the department for the purposes of researching, 2 of 3
40	40	11identifying, and publishing best practice standards for diagnosis and treatment of such disorders
41	41	12or syndrome that are accessible for medical professionals and are based on evidence of positive
42	42	13patient outcomes.
43	43	14 (b) The department shall develop a PANS working criteria to describe a clinically distinct
44	44	15presentation defined as follows: (i) abrupt, dramatic onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder or
45	45	16severely restricted food intake; (ii) concurrent presence of additional neuropsychiatric symptoms,
46	46	17with similarly severe and acute onset, from at least 2 of the following categories: (1) anxiety; (2)
47	47	18emotional lability or depression; (3) irritability, aggression or severely oppositional behaviors;
48	48	19(4) behavioral or developmental regression; (5) deterioration in school performance related to
49	49	20attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-like symptoms, memory deficits, cognitive
50	50	21changes; (6) sensory or motor abnormalities; (7) somatic signs and symptoms, including sleep
51	51	22disturbances, enuresis or urinary frequency; and (iii) symptoms are not better explained by a
52	52	23known neurologic or medical disorder, such as Sydenham chorea.
53	53	24 SECTION 3. Chapter 112 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
54	54	25section 12GG the following section:-
55	55	26 Section 12HH. (a) Each physician duly registered pursuant to section 2, 2A, 9, 9A, or 9B,
56	56	27each licensed child psychiatrist or psychologist, each licensed certified social worker or each
57	57	28licensed mental health counselor shall screen patients for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric
58	58	29disorders associated with streptococcal infections, hereinafter referred to as PANDAS and
59	59	30pediatric acute onset neuropsychiatric syndrome, hereinafter referred to as PANS, at the intervals
60	60	31and using the methods specified in the regulations adopted pursuant to section 242A of chapter
61	61	32111. 3 of 3
62	62	33 (b) Each licensed, registered or approved health care facility serving children, including
63	63	34but not limited to hospitals and clinics licensed under section 51 of chapter 111 and health
64	64	35maintenance organizations approved under the provisions of chapter 176G, shall take appropriate
65	65	36steps to ensure that their patients receive such PANDAS/PANS screening.
66	66	37 SECTION 4. Section 47NN of chapter 175 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020
67	67	38Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “for”, in line 3, the following
68	68	39words:- screening and.
69	69	40 SECTION 5. Section 8OO of chapter 176A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is
70	70	41hereby amended by inserting after the word “for”, in line 3, the following words:- screening and.
71	71	42 SECTION 6. Section 4OO of chapter 176B of the General Laws, as so appearing, is
72	72	43hereby amended by inserting after the word “for”, in line 3, the following words:- screening and.
73	73	44 SECTION 7. Section 4GG of chapter 176G of the General Laws, as so appearing, is
74	74	45hereby amended by inserting after the word “for”, in line 2, the following words:- screening and.
75	75	46 SECTION 8. The department of public health shall promulgate a working criteria and
76	76	47regulations to implement the provisions of section 242A of chapter 111 of the General Laws
77	77	48within 180 days of the effective date of this act.
78	78	49 SECTION 9. Section 3 shall take effect 270 days after the effective date of this act.