Day 31 - 3/14/2006

>> Back to Week Nine, Mar. 13 - Mar. 17

Newborn Screening and Suicide Prevention Pass Senate Committee

Senate Health and Human Services met and took action on both HB 1066 and HB 1092. HB 1092, which creates a suicide prevention program in DHR’s Division of Public Health, was passed unanimously.

HB 1066, which expands the number of newborn metabolic and genetic screening tests to 39, was discussed at length and amended. There have been concerns that the testing, which is currently done by a state lab, should be privatized, and an amendment was added to require DHR to put out a request for proposals for the screenings by January 2007. Another amendment was added to keep the fees for the screening at $40 for the first year. HB 1066 passed as amended.

 Upcoming Events

 Wednesday, March 15:

 House Appropriations Health Subcommittee, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m., Room 216 Capitol – Lunch and Learn

Senate Education, 1:30 p.m., Room 450 Capitol – HB 1358 – QBE; lower class sizes

Senate Public Safety & Homeland Security, 4:30 p.m., Room 307 CLOB – HB 1253 – Driver’s licenses for minors and compulsory attendance; provides for an exemption in hardship cases

Thursday, March 16:

 House Education Academic Support Subcommittee, 2:00 p.m., Room 415 CLOB – SB 288 – Grade Integrity Act; SB 413 – parental permission required for students 16-18 to drop out; SB 515 – QBE – expand remedial education to middle school grades; SB 610 – virtual charter schools; SB 618 – eligibility for enrollment, children in custody of DHR, DJJ