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House approves bill narrowing mandatory reporting for prenatal substance exposure with treatment carve‑out
Summary
The North Dakota House passed Senate Bill 22-32 to limit automatic Child Protection Services reporting after a prenatal positive drug or alcohol test if the mother is placed on and remains on a treatment plan; opponents said the change risks newborn safety and adds problematic discretion for reporters.
The North Dakota House on April 8 passed Senate Bill 22-32, a measure that changes when medical providers must report prenatal exposure to controlled substances or alcohol to Child Protective Services (CPS). The bill passed the House 57–36.
The bill, carried on the floor by Representative M. Ruby, would exempt from mandatory CPS reporting a pregnant woman who tests positive for drugs or alcohol if she is placed on a documented treatment plan and continues on that plan without testing positive again. Under current law a positive test typically requires an immediate report to CPS; SB 22-32 would remove that automatic reporting in the first instance so long as the woman complies with the treatment plan, and would retain…
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