Public Health - As enacted, adds as a disease for which a laboratory must test during a standard serological test of a pregnant woman hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV) with automatic reflex to HCV RNA if anti-HCV is reacti, the official text

••(c_ :(--Ii:: •• ,:;  •
   C"""'"'  AGR        •:
:
   --ti

i ~\\ __....,,,,~. -· j

        Stam ef JetlllMSl3e

                              PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 46

                                                    SENATE BILL NO. 1283

                                    By Johnson, Massey, Jackson, Reeves, Rose

                                             Substituted for: House Bill No. 111

    By Lamberth, Cochran, Greg Martin, White, Hemmer, Sherrell, Helton-Haynes, Cepicky, Hawk

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-5-602, relative to maternal health
          screening.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

          SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-5-602(a), is amended by deleting the
subsection and substituting:

                    (a) Every physician, surgeon, or other person permitted by law to attend a pregnant
          woman during gestation shall, in the case of each woman so attended, take or cause to be
          taken a sample of the blood of the woman at the time of first examination and visit or within ten
          (10) days after the first examination. If the first visit is at the time of delivery, or after delivery,
          then the standard serological test required by this subsection (a) must be performed at that
          time. The blood sample must be sent to a laboratory approved by the department for testing
          for syphilis infection, rubella immunity, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and hepatitis C
          antibody (anti-HCV) with automatic reflex to HCV RNA if anti-HCV is reactive. In the same
          manner, a sample of blood must be taken and tested between the twenty-eighth and thirty-
          second week of gestation for syphilis for all pregnant women. In the same manner, a sample
          of blood must be taken and tested for syphilis for all pregnant women at the time of delivery.
          Additional testing for rubella immunity is not required in subsequent pregnancies once a
          positive result is verified or a documented history of vaccination against rubella is available. All
          positive tests for syphilis, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C must be reported to the local health
          department in accordance with this chapter, and regulations governing the control of
          communicable diseases in this state.

          SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-5-602(b), is amended by deleting the
subsection and substituting:

                    (b) Every person attending a pregnant woman who is not permitted by law to take blood
          samples shall cause a sample of blood to be _taken and tested by a health provider permitted
          by law to take the samples as required in subsection (a).

          SECTION 3. This act takes effect on July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.
         SENATE BILL NO. 1283

PASSED:  March 6, 2025

                                                   cNALLY
                        SPEAKER OF TliE SENA TE

                        CAMERO~TON,SPEAKER
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

a£:f__ APPROVED this  day of (Yby~  2025

         VA. - BILL LEE, GOVERNOR