EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0956*
HOUSE BILL 956
J1 3lr0719
HB 1335/22 – HGO
By: Delegate Williams
Introduced and read first time: February 10, 2023
Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Pregnant and Perinatal Drug Screening and Testing Workgroup 2
FOR the purpose of requiring the Secretary of Health to establish a Pregnant and Perinatal 3
Drug Screening and Testing Workgroup to study and make recommendations 4
relating to drug screening and testing of pregnant and perinatal patients and 5
newborn infants; and generally relating to the Pregnant and Perinatal Drug 6
Screening and Testing Workgroup. 7
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEM BLY OF MARYLAND, 8
That: 9
(a) The Secretary of Health shall establish a Pregnant and Perinatal Drug 10
Screening and Testing Workgroup. 11
(b) The Workgroup shall include: 12
(1) one representative of the Office of the Public Defender; 13
(2) one representative of the Maryland Hospital Association; 14
(3) one representative of the Maryland Patient Safety Center; 15
(4) one representative of the Department of Human Services, who is a 16
health care provider licensed in the State and has experience working with pregnant 17
women with substance use disorders and substance exposed newborns; 18
(5) one physician licensed in the State with expertise working with 19
pregnant and perinatal women with substance use disorders; and 20
(6) one pediatrician licensed in the State with expertise working with 21
substance exposed newborns. 22 2 HOUSE BILL 956
(c) The Workgroup shall: 1
(1) research current practices for drug screening and testing of pregnant or 2
perinatal patients in the State and across care settings; 3
(2) study evidence–based practices for drug screening and testing of 4
pregnant or perinatal patients and newborn infants, including obtaining informed consent 5
for drug screening and testing pregnant or perinatal patients and newborn infants; 6
(3) study each step in the process of identifying, referring, and removing 7
newborn infants who are born substance exposed; 8
(4) review statewide data regarding: 9
(i) the number of substance exposed newborn infants born each 10
year; 11
(ii) the most common types of substances identified as substances to 12
which the newborn infants were exposed; and 13
(iii) the rate of removal of substance exposed newborn infants to an 14
out of home setting; 15
(5) conduct a racial equity impact assessment on the current removal 16
process for substance exposed newborn infants and accompanying data; and 17
(6) make recommendations on: 18
(i) the dissemination of best practices for drug screening and testing 19
of pregnant or perinatal patients and newborn infants to physicians and hospitals that have 20
labor and delivery units and other health care settings where pregnant and perinatal 21
patients receive care; 22
(ii) the development and implementation of a universal consent form 23
specifically for the purpose of obtaining the consent of a pregnant or perinatal patient for 24
testing the pregnant or perinatal patient or a newborn infant for alcohol and substances 25
when medically necessary; and 26
(iii) the development and dissemination of educational materials for 27
perinatal and pregnant patients regarding drug screening, drug testing, and the process 28
following a positive drug screen or toxicology test. 29
(d) On or before December 1, 2024, the Workgroup shall report its findings and 30
recommendations to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Health and 31
Government Operations Committee, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government 32
Article. 33 HOUSE BILL 956 3
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 1
1, 2023. It shall remain effective for a period of 2 years and, at the end of June 30, 2025, 2
this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and 3
of no further force and effect. 4