AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-5-602, relative to maternal health screening.
Summary
HB0111 amends Tennessee’s maternal health screening law for pregnant women. The bill requires a blood sample to be taken at the first prenatal examination or within 10 days of that visit, or at delivery if that is the first contact, and sent to an approved laboratory for testing for syphilis infection, rubella immunity, hepatitis B surface antigen, and hepatitis C antibody with automatic reflex testing for HCV RNA when indicated. It also requires repeat syphilis testing between the 28th and 32nd week of gestation and again at delivery for all pregnant women.
The bill further clarifies that rubella immunity testing is not required in later pregnancies once a prior positive result or documented vaccination history exists. Positive tests for syphilis, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C must be reported to the local health department under existing communicable disease rules. The measure takes effect July 1, 2025, and updates the duties of physicians and other persons attending pregnant women, including requiring non-licensed attendants to arrange for the blood draw by a qualified provider.
Impact
This bill revises Tennessee Code Annotated section 68-5-602 to expand and specify prenatal infectious disease screening requirements. It adds hepatitis C testing with reflex RNA confirmation, preserves and clarifies testing for syphilis and hepatitis B, and sets out repeat syphilis screening during pregnancy and at delivery. The law affects physicians, surgeons, and other attendants of pregnant women, as well as approved laboratories and local health departments that receive reportable positive results.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows strong bipartisan support and no recorded opposition in committee. The bill passed the Population Health Subcommittee 6-0 and the House Health Committee 22-0, suggesting broad agreement that the screening update is a public health measure. No committee transcript is available, but the unanimous votes indicate generally favorable sentiment.
Contention
No notable contention is reflected in the available record. The main policy choices embedded in the bill are the addition of hepatitis C screening with reflex testing, the requirement for repeat syphilis testing later in pregnancy and at delivery, and the reporting of positive results to local health departments. The only operational distinction addressed is that attendants who cannot legally draw blood must arrange for a qualified provider to do so, which appears to have been noncontroversial.